A New Life
by Vinividivinci
Summary: O'Neill and Carter end up on a new planet and are faced with an unusual situation
1. Chapter 1

**_Hello all. I've started another story (I'm still without husband and kids so have time on my hands). This one is adventure but also romance. I tried not to be too shippy in my last story (although the UST was definitely predominant) but this one will have some romance - and definitely some angst. As for whump - well, you know me - I can't resist. I hope you enjoy and please - feedback is my favorite thing!_**

"Colonel, what's the hold up?" Hammond spoke into the mike in the control room.

"Just waiting for Carter Sir." O'Neill answered, impatience in his voice. It was unusual that they had to wait for Sam. It was always Daniel who held them up.

As the rest of the team stood there waiting, Jack thought about how things had changed. Ever since Sam had gotten involved with that Pete guy it had felt like they had lost the closeness they had had as a team. Everyone tried, but somehow things were different.

Jack wanted her to be happy. He was the one who had told her time and time again to 'get a life'. Why he was shocked when she had was beyond him. Not just shocked, he admitted to himself – hurt was more like it. Of course, he'd never admit that to a soul. Nope, he'd made darn sure nobody would suspect his true feelings, least of all Sam.

The doors to the Gate room opened and she came hurrying in, adjusting the straps on her pack as she did so.

"Sorry Sir." She looked up, guilt written all over her face. She had always prided herself on being punctual.

"Late night Sam?", he asked, mostly in jest.

When she looked even guiltier and mumbled a soft 'yes Sir', he felt a surge of anger – not jealousy, no not that – rush through him. It made him snap at her.

"Next time I suggest you remember that you have a mission the next day. You're expected to be here on time Major!"

"Yes Sir", she answered, standing up straighter and focusing her eyes on his forehead.

"Come on Jack. It's not like Sam's late all the time. In fact, I don't remember her ever being late for a mission before." Rather than making him feel better this just exacerbated the whole thing. He turned to Daniel and snapped at _**him**_.

"I suggest you keep your thoughts to yourself, Dr. Jackson. In case you've forgotten I _**am**_ Carter's commanding officer and have every right to rebuke her ."

"Hey, what's gotten in .."

"It's okay Daniel", she interrupted quickly, recognizing that the Colonel was in a 'don't mess with me' kind of mood. "The Colonel is right. I shouldn't have been late."

"Happy to know that you agree with me Major", he answered sarcastically. "Now, if the two of you are finished I suggest we get going before the Goa'uld figure the Tauri have gone extinct." Turning, he indicated to Walter that he could dial. As the Gate began to spin, he thought about the upcoming mission – anything to keep his mind from dwelling on what Sam could have been doing on her 'late night.'

As far as they could tell, P8V 359 had not been discovered – or at least conquered – by the Goa'uld. The Malp had shown some evidence of a local population but nothing that indicated the presence of any kind of technology, Goa'uld or otherwise. What was interesting was they had captured an image of some kind of large building or temple. Daniel was sure it was of Ancient design. That was the reason for this trip.

Jack hoped it was going to be an easy one. After everything they'd gone through in the last few months he didn't really feel like he was operating at his best. He was definitely not relishing the thought of a hard mission.

In fact, now that he thought about it, he might ask the General for a bit of leave when they got back. A nice trip – all alone – to his cabin might be just what he needed. Getting away from all responsibilities (other than to try and catch some fish!) would be just what the doctor ordered. He wouldn't have to worry about pesky archaeologists or inscrutable alien Jaffa – who knew him much too well – and certainly he wouldn't think of blond haired, blue eyed Majors who 'had a life' outside the SGC. Yup, going to the cabin was just what he needed.

So engrossed was he in his plans that he stayed standing there, even as the gate opened. It was when Hammond's voice came sharply again through the speaker that he started.

"On our way Sir", he turned and gave his usual sloppy salute and then led his team forward. As Daniel started to follow he glanced over at Sam with a questioning look. She shrugged – she didn't know what was wrong either.

Teal'c trailed up the ramp, the last one to leave. Although his expression hadn't changed, inside he was worried about O'Neill. Something was definitely 'up' as his Tauri friends would say.

"Carter, you and Daniel wait here while Teal'c and I check things out." He walked down the ramp, not looking at any of his teammates. For some reason he still felt angry.

"Uh Sir, would you like me to .."

"I told you to wait Carter. Anything in that you don't understand?" Okay, so he was being a bastard. So sue him!

"No Sir." She stood quietly, unsure as to what was wrong with the Colonel. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Daniel take a breath as if to start speaking. She reached out and grabbed his arm, shaking her head as he looked at her.

Once Jack had left the immediate area Daniel turned to her.

"What the hell is wrong with him? I've never seen him act like this to you before." Daniel was furious at Jack.

"I don't know Daniel. I guess maybe he's just angry because I was late."

"Oh come on, I'm late all the time and he never gets that pissed off. There's something else. Did you two have words or something?"

"No, nothing. In fact, I've barely seen the Colonel in the last few weeks. The last time we spoke, outside of missions, was after I got back from the Prometheus."

Daniel stopped, realizing that he hadn't really seen Jack since then either. He'd been so caught up in some new discoveries that had been brought back by SG7 that he hadn't spent anytime with his friends outside of work. It had been weeks since they'd had a 'team night'.

"Maybe we need to get together when we get back – have a barbeque or something. Jack's probably just feeling lonely or something."

Somehow she had a hard time picturing the Colonel as 'lonely'. He seemed such a self-sufficient person. That was probably unfair, she realized. He had had a family at one time so hadn't been a loner his whole life. From the little bit she'd gathered in her years on SG1 he'd had a good marriage until it was destroyed by the death of his son.

It was hard to imagine the Colonel as a husband and dad – cutting the grass on the weekends, teaching his kid to swim or skate, making love … Okay – definitely don't go there Sam! For some reason, the thought of the Colonel in any kind of romantic relationship really bothered her. She didn't know why. He was obviously attractive and very clearly 'heterosexual' but it still upset her. Although she'd known he'd had relationships with women (although you couldn't exactly call the thing with Kynthia a 'relationship'), they had only been brief, and usually as a result of some mission gone bad (think Laira). As far as she knew he didn't date, or at least he never spoke about it.

So, thinking of him as 'lonely' kind of made her feel weird. It was as if it made him more human somehow – not just the acerbic, sarcastic, funny, brave commander that she knew he was – but a man, a 'guy' with needs and desires.

Quickly stopping her rampant thoughts she turned to Daniel. 'Yeah, that'd be great."

"Hey, you could invite Pete. We haven't really gotten to know him."

She nodded and smiled but thought to herself that that was the last thing she wanted to do. It was important to her to keep her work life and her personal life separate. Why that was she couldn't explain. She just really, really didn't want Pete and Jack – no, Pete and her _**team**_ together. It would be just plain weird!

Just then the Colonel and Teal'c returned.

"Okay campers, everything looks okay. Let's head out. I'll take the lead, Teal'c you follow with Daniel. Carter, you're got our six." Again, without actually looking at any of them he turned and started walking. This time it was Teal'c who raised an eyebrow.

Okay, thought Sam, it's not just me. Something is definitely wrong.

The four teammates headed out, walking towards the small village that lay about 6 kilometers from the gate. The path led through a forest but it looked pretty clear so it should probably take them no more than an hour, hour and a half at most.

As they walked O'Neill began to feel ashamed of himself. He knew he was acting like a child. He had to get a handle on himself. Sam was forbidden territory. He'd known that since the beginning – or had at least acknowledged it when he first realized his feelings went far beyond what they were supposed to in a commander/subordinate relationship.

At one time there had been the hint that she felt more for him as well but she had very definitely gotten over those feelings. Probably not much more than hero worship, he thought. It wasn't uncommon for soldiers to develop a crush on their superior, especially when they worked together as closely as he and SG1 did. It was the same sort of thing that teachers and professors dealt with all the time.

Realistically he knew she was much better off with someone younger and less 'damaged' than he was. He carried way too much baggage from his years in the Air Force – and even more from his disastrous personal life. No one, least of all someone as great as Sam Carter, needed that.

The fact that, when he was with her his baggage become bearable couldn't, shouldn't weigh in his relationship with her. She treated him like a friend and he should be satisfied with that. He just couldn't help it if the thought of her sleeping with that damn cop made him want to go out and shoot something. Maybe they'd find a few good Goa'uld today and he could satisfy his urge.

They'd been walking just over an hour when suddenly the trees thinned and they could see the village in front of them. A few people were in the fields, clearly planting or hoeing or something. A few kids were running around and some of the women were gathered at what looked like a community well. Yeah, just a simple little country village. Didn't look like anything interesting around here.

"Okay Daniel", he said as they neared the village. "Do your stuff." The people had, by now, caught site of the visitors. Startled, they all stopped and stared. The women moved first, looking frightened at the site of SG1. They very obviously were unused to strangers. That was probably a good thing, thought Jack. Must mean no Goa'uld.

One of the men who had been in the fields rapidly approached the strangers. He was carrying some kind of tool which would serve as a weapon if he needed it.

"Hello", called Daniel, stepping forward. "We are peaceful visitors come from a far land."

The man stopped and stared. Uh oh, he probably spoke some other language.

"What is it you want with us?" he asked. Okay, so he could speak the language.

"We are simply here to meet new people and exchange ideas. We offer you no harm. My name is Daniel Jackson, this is Teal'c, pointing to the big man, Samantha Carter and Jack O'Neill." The man hadn't reacted at all when he was introduced to Teal'c, simply glancing at his tattoo and then away. This was a further indication that they hadn't come across any Goa'uld or Jaffa. "Can I ask your name?"

"I am called Amdahl. This is my village. We too are peaceful people. You are welcome, we simply ask that you do nothing to disturb our way of life."

"We promise, we will not. We thank you for your hospitality and we will observe any rules or customs you wish. We wish to learn about you and share knowledge of ourselves."

Amdahl nodded and clapped his hands. A young woman came running up. Daniel didn't venture a glance at Sam, knowing that this kind of subservient behavior from women really ticked her off.

"Yes lord?" she asked.

"You will take them to our home and offer them food and drink." Turning back to his guests he spoke.

"Martia will look after you. This evening you will join us and we will talk. Today the men must work in the fields. It is a short time for planting."

Daniel thanked him and assured him they'd be fine. As Amdahl and the other men returned to their work the team turned and followed Martia back to her 'home'.

"Please, I am honored to have you enter our house", she stood by the door and gestured for the team to enter in front of her. When they walked in they could see that the hut seemed to be divided into two rooms, the one they were in was the public room/dining room. The floor was covered with rugs and furs and she indicated that they should sit.

As the four members of SG1 sat they looked around at the very humble interior of the room. Martia had walked to a crude stove in the corner and began to ladle something out of a large pot. A young girl – her daugher maybe? – took a pitcher and poured glasses of water for the team.

"Thank you", smiled Daniel as the young girl handed him the glass. She stared and then retreated to bring another one. She handed a glass to Sam and smiled, clearly at ease with a woman. When she approached Jack she looked serious but he caught her eye and winked which caused a small grin to appear on her face. Teal'c – well, he clearly terrified her. Sam reached out and took the glass from her and handed it to the Jaffa. She looked relieved.

"Sooka – leave our guests. You must see to your sister." The young girl nodded her head and left for the other room. The team could hear the voices of another, younger child.

Martia began bringing over the soup or stew and served it to the team. Cautiously taking a bit Daniel looked surprised and nodded at his friends.

"It's very good. Thank you Martia. You are a kind hostess." She looked pleased – and maybe a little relieved – at his words. It made him wonder how the women were treated on this planet.

"Can you tell us a little about your village?" Daniel asked. Martia looked startled at this, unsure how to handle having a man actually want to hear her speak.

She started slowly, haltingly. The rules of hospitality meant that she had to answer his request, but the training of a lifetime, in which women were to remain quiet, in the background, made it difficult for her to speak.

It became easier when Sam, seeing her difficulty, took over the conversation from Daniel. She felt much more comfortable interacting with another woman. The men, realizing that this was so, remained quiet, allowing Sam to take the lead.

They found out that life was rather simple in the village. Girls were married off at a very young age to men chosen by their fathers. Their job was to look after their husbands and bear children. They took no part in the running of the village or made any decisions. That was purely the realm of men. As she spoke it became clear that physical 'correction' was often used against the women. They expected it as part of their lot in life. Sam was so angry that if Amdahl had walked in at that moment she probably would have zatted him.

There was little else of interest in her narrative. They got few visitors, only a few people from other villages. The most contact they had was at a once a year festival where people from many communities would come together. This is where marriages were often arranged. It was better to marry outside of the village, she said. The team realized this was probably to prevent too much 'in-breeding'.

She had never heard of anyone called "Goa'uld' and was shocked when they asked about people with snakes inside them. In fact, she got quite frightened when that was even mentioned – not because she knew anything about them – but simply because it was a completely foreign concept to her.

Satisfied, after talking to Martia, that the Goa'uld had never visited this area, the team settled back and relaxed. It was then that Daniel asked Sam to mention the temple.

Martia's reaction was to be expected. The temple was only for men – women weren't allowed and the men never spoke of it. She had no idea what was there or what it was used for. The men went once a month for a day and a night. She looked slightly distressed at this. When pressed, it turned out that most of the 'correction' of the women occurred after the men returned from their visit. In truth, the women all lived in fear of these monthly visits to the temple.

"That's curious", Jack spoke softly to Daniel. "I wonder what that's about?" Daniel snorted.

"The probably go and get drunk and play cards. They come back with a hangover and beat their wives. If they had TV I'd suspect they were watching a football game or something."

Jack gave a small grin. 'Yeah, sounds about right. I guess we should check it out though. Let's ask Amee tonight."

"Amee? Jack, you never change do you?" The Colonel looked at him in complete innocence.

"Nope. Why should I want to change. I'm perfect the way I am." He gave a satisfied smirk to Daniel who just rolled his eyes in return.

When Amdahl returned that evening they saw Martia change from a shy but pleasant young woman to a frightened ghost. She tried everything she could to wait on Amdahl while trying to disappear into the woodwork. When a cry was heard from the back room she appeared terrified. She looked over at her husband but it wasn't until he nodded that she moved to the other room. The crying stopped quickly.

"I apologize for the noise. Martia is not a good mother. She has yet to learn to keep the children under control. Although what can you expect – they are girls!" the last was uttered in complete contempt.

"I am thinking of getting a new wife, one who will give me strong sons. She has been a disappointment."

O'Neill quickly reached out and grabbed Carter's arm. He felt as sick as she did but knew it would do nobody any good, least of all Martia, to try and interfere.

"What do you do with a discarded wife?' asked Jack in a conversational tone. He might have to consider saving this woman.

"I return her to her father. He can do with her what he wishes. She will most likely become a house servant."

"What about the children?" Daniel asked. Jack glanced over at him and was surprised to see the deep-lying anger simmering in his friend. It was not very often that Daniel let anything from other cultures bother him.

"I will most likely keep them. The older child is good enough to serve me. The younger – I don't know. I may sell her to one of the other villages." He spoke calmly, as if he wasn't talking about his own children.

Knowing he'd better change the subject before his team decided to cause a major 'diplomatic incident' he turned to Amdahl and asked,

"We saw that you have a temple a short way from the village. Can you tell us what that is for?"

Amdahl looked startled and, for the first time since they'd met him, unsure. He was definitely struggling with whether or not to tell these strangers anything.

"I can not say. It is against our rules to speak of it. I can take you and show you if you desire. Tomorrow is our day of "Prorana" when the men go to the temple. The woman of course can not come." He hadn't once looked at Carter the entire time they'd been here. When he spoke of 'the woman' all of them could hear the venom in his voice.

"Of course not", Jack agreed, not looking over at his Second. He was desperately trying to keep from strangling this man and was using every bit of diplomacy he had in his body (which wasn't much, he admitted to himself), but right now it looked like the usually more diplomat ones on his team were having a hard time of it.

He glanced at Sam and caught her glaring at him. She quickly turned her face away as he looked at her. Come on Sam, he thought, you gotta know I'm not liking this guy anymore than you are! He just didn't want anything taken out on Martia. He was actually quite disappointed that she would think he was okay with this.

Facing the 'chauvinist pig' Amdahl, he smiled. "If it's okay with you Daniel and Teal'c will accompany you. I will stay here with 'the woman'." He was worried about what went on in that temple and didn't want to leave Carter defenseless if anything happened to the rest of them. Daniel needed to be there because he'd be able to interpret any kind of cultural activity. Teal'c he sent for the muscle.

As much as he really didn't want to be with Sam right now, he knew he was the logical choice to stay back. They could just continue to avoid each other the way they had been the last few weeks.

"Yes, I understand. It is dangerous to leave a woman on her own in a strange place." God, the man actually was concerned for Sam – that was a surprise, thought Jack. Then he continued.

"She could cause trouble which would bring shame to you. You would then have to punish her." Jack had to bite the inside of his lip. He so wanted to pummel this guy.

"Yeah – wouldn't want to have to 'punish' Carter." he said through his teeth.

"No, it is wearisome to have to do so. I do have some tools that make it easier, however. I will leave them with you."

"Why thank you Amdahl, that's very kind of you." Yup, he was so going to beat this guy to a pulp before he was done. As he saw Sam from the corner of his eye he couldn't help a small grin - if she doesn't beat me to it, he thought.

The four friends slept on the floor in the outer room that night. Martia quickly made beds for all of them and then scurried back to the other room with Amdahl. They heard noises shortly after – grunting and what sounded like slaps – followed by whimpers and then a louder 'smack'. Sam stood up and it was all Jack could do to stop her.

"Sir, let me go", she demanded.

"No Sam, not now. It'll just be worse for her in the long run. I know it's hard. I don't like this any more than you do."

"Really Sir? You could have fooled me!" she spat.

He stepped back in shock. Did she actually think that of him? He was incredibly hurt, which immediately showed itself in anger.

"I try Major, I try." He turned and walked to his sleeping bag and laid down.

"Go to sleep major – that's an order!" he closed his eyes and tried to calm his wildly beating heart.

Daniel looked over at Sam in shock. Surely she knew Jack well enough to know there was nothing he hated more than bullies who picked on those weaker than themselves. He had seen Jack's anger and disgust – and his attempts to hang on to his temper. He was surprised that Sam hadn't also. Usually she was very discerning as far as Jack went. Something was really off.

She looked back at him and said a sharp "what!" When he didn't answer she flopped down on her sleeping bag and attempted to close her ears to the sounds coming from the other room.

She didn't know quite why she'd reacted the way she did. She knew, just as did Daniel, that the Colonel would be disgusted at how Amdahl was treating his wife. For some reason though she'd become increasingly angry at the man. It had started this morning when he'd gotten mad at her for being late and had grown throughout the day as he'd ignored her. She felt totally pissed at him but couldn't quite figure out why.

She had been unfair to him though. He was just trying to deal with this situation in the best way he could. The fact that he wouldn't' leave her alone the next day spoke of his concern. She would have to apologize to him. With a sigh she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

The next morning the team ate the breakfast Martia prepared and then Teal'c and Daniel headed out with the rest of the men. Whereas the men appeared happy and excited, the women of the village all had anxious expressions on their faces. They clearly dreaded whatever this was.

Jack turned towards the centre square with the community well – and saw the women scurry away. They looked at him in fear. Damn – it was obvious that they had been taught to hate and fear men. Turning away, he decided not to spoil what was there 'social' time together. He headed back to Amdahl's house.

Entering, he saw Carter speaking quietly with Martia who looked to be in tears. The Major looked up and gave him a worried look – at least she no longer seemed angry.

He walked over and sat down. "What is it?" he asked quietly. Martia immediately stood up and walked to the stove where she stirred whatever was cooking.

"She was telling me what happens when the men return, Sir." She was seething. "Whatever happens at this 'temple' the men come back violent and angry. Many women are hurt quite badly, some even die and the men are never punished. She seemed shocked that I would even suggest such a thing."

He reached out and put his hand over Sam's to offer some comfort. She looked up at him gratefully. "Martia says she thinks Amdahl may use this time to kill her. She knows he wants to get rid of her because she hasn't born him a son. She is fearful for her children."

"God Damn it!" he practically shouted. Standing up he moved as far away from the two women as he could get, not wanting to frighten Martia with his anger.

"We've got to do something Carter. But what? We can't take all the women from the village. Even if we try and take Martia we could be in trouble."

"I know Sir – but we can't let her die."

"No, of course not. I'll think of something Sam." he answered, running his hands through his hair. "Maybe if I try and buy her?" Although the idea was repugnant, he would be willing to do it to save her life. "I'll have to see if I can get the girls too. She shouldn't have to lose her children!"

Turning, he stomped out of the house. He had to calm down.

Sam watched as he left. His display of anger had left her with a feeling of relief. She had known how he must feel but it did her good to see his anger. It also gave her a strange 'pang' around her heart. He truly was a good man.

Jack walked a short way from the village, trying to get his anger under control. He knew it would do none of them any good. He had to figure a way to help this woman – maybe all the women – but he just didn't know how. This was turning into a really shitty mission!

Just as the thought came he heard a sound – one he recognized but hadn't thought to hear on this planet.

Starting to run back to the village he realized the day had gotten much worse!

As he arrived he heard the screams of the women and children and the sound of zats. A dozen or more Jaffa were in evidence, rounding up the women and the children. He ran around one of the buildings, trying to hide. Where was Sam? He looked around frantically but couldn't see her.

"Who is this?" he heard the dreaded sound of a Goa'uld voice. "You are not of this village. Who are you?"

Sam's voice answered (damn!). "I'm from the next village over. I was just visiting my cousin." There was a pause and then the sound of a slap and a short cry. Bastard! Jack fumed.

"You will not lie. Where are you from?" When Sam didn't answer he turned to one of the other women who was cowering in fear.

"You, tell me where this woman is from." The woman sobbed but spoke.

"She came yesterday. She is not from here. I do not know who she is but she is with a man."

"A man? Where is he?" Another loud slap and the woman screamed. "I do not know – I saw him walking away from the village."

Damn, now they knew he was here. He just hoped no one said anything to them about Daniel or Teal'c.

"My Lord – we must leave soon. We are to be at the rendezvous by tomorrow."

"I know fool!" the Goa'uld shouted. "Round up the younger women and the children. I do not want any of the older women. And find that man – I want to know who he is. You will come with me woman and you will tell me who you are."

God – they were going to take Sam. What could he do to stop this? He only had his pistol with him and couldn't hope to best 12 or more Jaffa.

Right at that moment he heard a shout and turned to see two of the snaky bastards running towards him. Pointing his gun he got off a couple of quick shots, downing one. He turned to head in the opposite direction when he felt a burning pain along his side. Falling to the ground he watched as two more Jaffa came up and stood over him. He saw one of them pull his foot back. He lost consciousness the moment it connected with his side.

Sam saw them drag the Colonel's body out from behind one of the buildings. Oh God, she prayed he wasn't dead. As they brought him near she could see the rise and fall of his chest. He was alive.

The Jaffa gathered a group of crying women and children and then forced them to walk away from the village. She was grabbed by one of the guards and pulled along. The Colonel was slung over the shoulders of one of the bigger Jaffa.

After a few minutes they arrived at the Alkesh. They were pushed on board and the doors closed.

As the vessel took off Sam said a small 'thank you' that Daniel and Teal'c hadn't been found. At the same time, she knew she and the Colonel were in deep trouble.


	2. Snakes and Minions

**_Thanks for all the kind reviews! For those people who do so without logging in a special thank you - I can't get back to you directly but I do appreciate the comments. I had one lovely review today from someone who requested some 'Sam Whump' - In response to that - and as a thank you for the kind words - I'll be adding some to the story (in this chapter and later). For all those 'Jack whumpers' out there - don't worry - there'll be more for him too. We'll call it 'equal opportunity whumping'. Enjoy._**

"Any ideas as to what's gonna go on here Teal'c?" Daniel was speaking quietly as they walked along with the men of the village. There were about twenty of them altogether, including some older boys. Amdahl had explained that boys officially became men at the age of 12 so there were a half a dozen 'teenagers' with them.

"I do not know Daniel. I have not heard of anything like this on other planets."

"Well, at least we know it's not an orgy!" Daniel laughed.

"Why not?" asked Teal'c, not breaking a step.

"Because they left all the women behind, that's why."

Teal'c simply turned and looked at him, his left eyebrow raised.

"Oh come on!" Daniel sputtered. "Surely you don't mean that this could be an all-male party? No, way." He looked rather nervous.

"Is it not true that many people, even some cultures, believe that love between men is a good and normal thing?"

"Yes .. of course ….but, I'm not … I mean. There's no way in hell I'm participating in that kind of 'cultural exchange.'

Teal'c actually had a small grin on his face as they continued walking. Daniel, the one usually excited by the thought of experiencing new things on other planets, was looking quite perturbed. The Jaffa actually had a quick thought that O'Neill should have been here – he would have enjoyed Daniel's discomfort immensely. In fact, Teal'c had to remember to tell him about this. He could see the teasing going on for days. It would do the team good.

They finally arrived at the temple but neither man could see anything unusual. The temple itself was large with columns and arches reminiscent of some Ancient structures they had scene. There were no doors, simply open archways leading into the interior.

The rest of the men grew quiet and gathered around Amdahl. He turned to the two visitors.

"You may join us and partake of the Prorana. We are pleased to welcome you." He went to turn back when Daniel spoke.

"Uh Amdahl – I'm just wondering what this 'Prorana' is? We have some strict laws in our village about certain things we can't do – so I'm ah just checking. I don't want to offend or anything."

"You may partake or not, that is your choice Daniel Jackson. We will not be offended. The only thing we do not allow is for anyone to share with the women what goes on here. They are not permitted to know – it is considered blasphemous."

"Fine, no problem. We won't say a word." Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. Whatever went on here at least he knew he could 'abstain'.

The men followed Amdahl into the temple through a couple of outside chambers until they finally arrived at a large room with lounging couches in a U shape around the room. In the open end of the U was a table with a number of urns on it. Amdahl walked to the front with one of the other men. The others positioned themselves on the couches.

"Kind of reminds me of Ancient Rome", Daniel whispered to Teal'c. The two men found a free spot of their own and reclined on the couch.

Everyone's eyes were focused on the two men at the table and no one spoke. After a couple of minutes, Amdahl began to softly chant. The words were not in English and Daniel was unable to discern what language he was speaking. It was unlike anything he had ever heard, which made him incredibly curious. Looking around, and listening to the chanting, he began to doubt that this was, in fact, an temple of the Ancients. There was just something 'off' about the whole place.

The chanting suddenly stopped. The men around the room began to look excited although they still did not speak. When Amdahl moved his hands towards one of the jars in front of him both Teal'c and Daniel could feel the anticipation in the air. What the hell was this?

At first, nothing happened when the jar was opened but soon a thin stream of smoke began to billow out. As it did he could hear the collective sigh around the table. Amdahl said something more but this time the man next to him spoke – maybe answering him. Each time Amdahl spoke a new man around the table would then answer. Daniel wished he knew what was being said.

Once the man next to him had spoken, Daniel leaned over. Hoping he wasn't going to offend he asked the man, "Can you tell me what it is you are saying?"

The man looked surprised, as if he thought the strangers were stupid for not understanding, but he patiently whispered back,

"Amdahl is saying the words of the forefathers – that we are blessed and strong. We are pure and must continue to be the ones to keep our world and our race alive. The words we then answer are to acknowledge this and promise to remain pure."

"Oh – and how do you keep 'pure'?" Daniel whispered back.

"By recognizing the evil amongst us and keeping it under control. If we allow the evil to become strong we will be destroyed. We must not let that happen."

"No, no, of course not. We have much the same belief in my village. We work hard to destroy evil."

The man looked at him curiously. "Then why do you let a woman travel with you?" he asked.

"Huh?" Daniel was confused at how the conversation had jumped. "I'm sorry – I don't understand. What does that have to do with evil?"

The man appeared shocked. "What do you not understand? You say you destroy evil and yet you bring it with you? How can that be?"

"Bring it with us?" Daniel looked even more confused. Teal'c leaned over at that moment,

"I believe he is saying that it is the women who are the evil, Daniel Jackson. Is that not so?" he turned and asked the villager.

"Of course! The forefathers warned us many ages ago that the women would be our downfall. If we did not need them to continue our race we would destroy them all. It is difficult for us to have to live with them but we must. We come here every month for Prorana to gather strength against them."

Daniel sat back, just as the sound of the voices in the room ceased. He felt physically sick at what he'd been told and wanted nothing more than to get up and leave. The desire to investigate the temple had left – all he wanted to do was go back to the village, gather all the women and children and leave this planet. No, that wasn't quite true – he also wanted to take some C-4 and plant it all over the temple and blow these bastards to kingdom come!

"Be careful Daniel", Teal'c spoke in a soft voice. "We musn't offend these people. As soon as we can we shall leave and go back to the village. I am sure O'Neill will be happy to leave this place."

"Yeah, okay. I wanna get out of here as soon as I can."

"I, as well. I do not like this place or these people."

Amdahl had now finished speaking and began to open the other jars. More smoke began to flow. It very quickly filled the room. It didn't take long before both Daniel and Teal'c realized that it was some kind of drug as they both began to feel incredibly dizzy. Knowing they'd better leave, and quick, they tried to stand. Unfortunately, whatever kind of drug it was it had an almost immediate effect and neither man could move.

As he looked around the room, dizzy and bleary eyed, Daniel saw that the rest of the men were in the same state. That gave him a measure of relief – at least it didn't look like they were planning any harm to the two men from earth.

He was also relieved that Jack and Sam hadn't come. Although Sam couldn't have come, he thought. She was a woman and they didn't like women. …. For good reason, he suddenly realized.

Yeah – women were bad! Sam was little miss good two-shoes, he thought. Always on time, always sucking up to Jack. No wonder he'd been pissed at her. He must have got her number finally. Why in the world did they keep her on their team? They'd be better off without her. In fact, they'd be better without all the women at the SGC. Doc Frasier – eeeww – he didn't want her even touching him. When they returned he'd ask for Dr. Warner.

He looked at Teal'c who had a silly grin on his face and was humming. Now he was a good man – man being the operative word. Yup – you could always count on a man. Not a woman though - hell, they were always breaking a nail or worrying about how much weight they'd gained or the worst – they'd get PMS! Yeah – we should just shoot them at that time of the month – men everywhere would be much happier.

Who really needed women? Okay, maybe to have babies – but for no other reason.

"Hey Teeeec buddy", he slurred. "He'sh right – women are crap! Don'e wan' em!"

"I agree Daniel – women should be zatted twice!" Hey, how come Teal'c can speak okay, thought Daniel. Not fair – probably the snake! Wonder if the snake hates women too? Do they have women snakes? Snakettes? They'd be really, really evil, he thought.

"We should get … r id – Sam. Don' wan'er on team. Don't like … Smm."

"I do not like Major Carter either. You are right. I will ask O'Neill if we can get rid of her when we get back." With those words Teal'c flopped down and began to snore.

"Hey- you snorin' Tee-man? Di'n know Jaffa could snore!" Those were Daniel's last words as he too fell over in a stupor. Sleeping soundly, both men dreamed of all the things (not nice things) they'd like to do to Sam and the other women they knew.

The prisoners from the planet were all pushed into a small cell on board the Alkesh. It was too small for everyone and there was barely room for everyone to sit. It made dealing with an unconscious Jack very difficult.

Sam ran up to him, not wanting him to be trampled by the mass of women and children. The cries and screams were so loud she could barely think. Once she'd arrived at his crumpled body she tried to straighten him out and look at his wound, a task made difficult by the press of bodies around them.

She was finally able to rearrange him in something close to a comfortable position, although she'd had to bend his legs – there just wasn't enough space to let him lie straight.

Rolling him slightly on his side she lifted his shirt, careful to pull the melted material away gently from his charred skin. Fortunately, the wound was in a place that wasn't too serious, having hit him directly on the side above his hip bone.

Two things would be a problem – one, would be the pain – staff burns were awful. The more serious issue would be the chance of infection. A burn was always dangerous and without some kind of first aid supplies there was a good chance it would get infected and become potentially life-threatening.

She didn't even have any water with which to wash or cool the wound. All she could do was try and keep anything dirty away from it. She ripped a strip of cloth from the bottom of her shirt and lightly wrapped it around his waist. It would have to do to protect the wound for now.

When she was done she scooted over and moved Jack so his upper body was lying in her lap. She did this not simply to comfort him – but simply because there was so little room and this allowed her to spread out a bit. A bonus for Jack was that it would be more comfortable when he awoke.

It didn't actually take long for him to regain consciousness. His eyes opened and he looked up at her with a confused expression on his face. A second later his expression changed – first to one of shock – then to one of pain. He let out a soft groan and tried to roll over.

"Stop Colonel. Don't move."

"I'm okay Carter", he mumbled.

"I know Sir – but there isn't any room. If you roll over you'll squash someone."

"Hmmm? What?" he asked. Lifting his head he peered around him and saw the women cramped into the tight area.

"Great! Where are we Major?"

"We're on an Alkesh Sir. We've been taken by some Goa'uld – I don't know who – didn't recognize him."

"Do you know why they wanted us?" Jack was worried they would be recognized and sold to one of their least favorite snake-heads.

"I don't know Colonel. No one's really said anything. All I know is that they only wanted the younger women and children – not any of the older ones. I suppose that could mean they are looking for hosts."

"Great! Just what I want – another snake in my head." Jack was obviously uncomfortable which was showing itself in sarcasm and bad temper. Right now she really couldn't deal with this!

"I don't know sir. I don't think they had that in mind for us. The Goa'uld knew I wasn't from the planet so I think was curious. That's why he took us."

"Yeah – you're probably right." Jack grimaced and reached towards his side.

"Don't touch Sir. You have a staff burn and you don't want to get it dirty. I don't have anything to treat the wound."

Putting his hand back down he closed his eyes and sighed. This was just great – taken god knows where by a lousy Goa'uld – and of course he'd have to be hurt. Couldn't they ever catch a break?

"What should we do Colonel?" the Major asked.

"I don't really know right now Major", he spoke sharply. "Not much we can do until we find out some more information. In the meanwhile I guess I'll just rest with my head in your lap!" Great – just what he needed, lying on Sam knowing that she'd recently spent the night curled up with her cop. Wonder if he got to put his head in her lap too? Yeah – probably that and a lot more – bet she enjoyed it more too!

In pain, angry, jealous (he'd deny it!) and worried he lay there with his eyes closed. Maybe if he ignored it all it'd go away?

Just then he heard a loud, but childish voice shout.

"Move, stupid woman! I want to sit." He then heard a smack. Looking over to where the sound was coming from he saw a young boy, no more than about 10 or 11 grabbing a woman by the hair and hitting her on the face.

Oh no! Not in my prison cell, he thought. He rolled off Sam, with difficulty, biting back a cry of pain and stumbled his way over to the boy – having to squeeze past a number of other women to do so.

By the time he arrived the woman had stood up and let the boy have her place. She barely had enough room to stand upright.

He walked over to the boy, grabbed his arm and hauled him to his feet. The boy looked at him in fear.

"Okay – this is what you're going to do. You are going to apologize to this woman and then you are going to let her sit down in that spot. You will then stand right there and you won't move. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"

The boy sputtered, not sure what to do. He had done nothing wrong – the evil one was taking his place. It was his duty to correct her. His father would have been proud – why was this man angry.

"I was punishing the evil one." He answered. "I did nothing wrong". The women around him were completely silent, shocked and frightened at what was happening. To them normal was being beaten and rebuked by men and boys – to be championed by a man was unheard of and confusing.

"These women are not evil. You will apologize now or I will show you what it feels like to be punished!" The boy whimpered, clearly frightened. Apologize? He did not know how – men never apologized. He turned to the woman (his mother),

"I – I am sorry." He cringed – the men in his village would be appalled. He moved over and gave her room to sit. She, of course, shrank back. Taking the seat was not something she was able to do.

"Please, you will sit." Jack murmured in a kind voice. This caused her to move forward and slowly sink to the ground. A man had commanded and she must obey. The other women still stood quiet, with big eyes and fearful expressions.

Looking around at the women all crammed in together – and the children – he knew they were in a bad situation. He just hoped they would not be left here for long.

"Okay, listen up everyone." He spoke to the group. "I know it's tight in here so we're gonna organize things. I want everyone to slowly try and find a space. Keep your children close by – you may have to hold the young ones in your lap. If you get tired we will change off and those without children can help. If they bring food and water four of us – he pointed to himself, Sam, Martia and one of the calmer looking women – will be responsible for gathering it and passing it out equally. The worst thing we can do is panic or try and rush for the food."

He looked around again, noticing there were a few other boys from around 8 to 10. He figured they could be a problem.

"And one other thing – and you all listen closely. There will be no 'punishing' or 'correcting' of anyone, including the women. We are all equal here and will all be treated with respect. If I see any of you boys treating the women badly you will answer to me, is that understood?" He looked around and saw a few small nods. For the most part everyone looked pretty overwhelmed by everything.

Jack moved back towards Sam, exhausted by his little speech. His wound wasn't terrible – but he also knew that Sam was right, burns could turn nasty. He'd have to be careful. He was also sore from the Jaffa's kick although fortunately nothing seemed broken, only badly bruised. Why did they always insist on kicking him, he wondered? Couldn't they just once be nice and friendly?

He eased himself to the ground, wishing he could put his head back in its cozy resting spot but figuring he'd better not – not unless she invited him to.

"That was good Sir", Sam smiled at him (that made him feel immeasurably better – he hadn't been receiving many 'Sam smiles' for a while). "I wanted to dust his little ass – but it was better coming from you."

"Yeah – little buggers aren't they. I gotta say, that's one of the worst cultures I think we've come across – barring the Goa'uld of course, although they at least treat their women a little better. I expect there's not too much we can do to change these kids – they're so indoctrinated that it'll be hard. Pity – no child should treat someone like that."

By this time the Colonel was starting to sound tired. She was sure his wound was hurting like crazy. She just wished they could get some water.

"Sir, you need to rest. You've got to look after yourself so you don't get an infection."

"Yeah, I know Carter. A little hard to do in this space." Okay – he was **not** hinting.

"Why don't you lie down again on my lap. I'm okay and it'll give you more room."

"Not very comfortable for you Sam." Give her a way out Jack – hope she doesn't take it!

"It's okay Sir. I don't mind, really."

"Well, if you're sure?" He leaned back and gently laid his head in her lap. This was definitely worth a staff wound, he thought to himself. The view was …. spectacular! Enough, O'Neill – get your mind out of the gutter and your eyes away from her … attributes! Closing his eyes he tried to rest.

She looked down at the resting Colonel, feeling bad that he had to deal with a wound on top of everything else. She sighed to herself – he was such a complicated person, she thought. One minute she wanted to kill him, the next she wanted to hug him. So different than Pete.

Pete was uncomplicated – you got what you saw. He was a genuinely nice, caring man. He was crazy about her and what was even better was he could show her openly how he felt. None of this 'hidden feelings' crap. No – she wanted, she needed an open, honest relationship in which she could love and be loved.

It was wonderful coming home after a long, hard day's work to have someone waiting – someone who held his arms out and drew her to him. She loved resting in the arms of someone who cared – not more than they were supposed to – but as much as they wanted to.

Yes, she had it lucky with Pete. Why was it then, when she looked at the man lying in her lap, she felt such a sense of loss and sadness?

They must have been in the small room for three or four hours before the outer doors opened and in walked a group of four Jaffa. They were carrying a couple of buckets and some bowls. Holding their staff weapons at the ready, one of them opened the inner cell doors and they placed the food and water inside. Quickly closing the door again they stood and watched expectantly.

They were disappointed. Usually this would cause their prisoners to riot and fight for the food and water. They loved standing and watching the mayhem. There were always a number who got hurt and usually one or two died. It was great fun and they always had a betting pool going on how many were hurt or killed.

This time, none of that happened. The women stayed still except for three of them who stood up and made their way to the buckets. Shortly thereafter the lone man limped up behind them.

Tar'buz, the First Prime to the Goa'uld Matsya, narrowed his eyes when he saw the man. Who was he and why was he here? He would ask his lord. Turning, he indicated that the others follow him. There was no entertainment here tonight.

Once the Jaffa had left, Sam, Jack and the two women began serving the food and water. The young boys were first in line, expecting to be fed before the women. Jack gave one fierce scowl and they moved back. He'd teach them some things if it killed him!

"Women with young children first", he called "Unfortunately there aren't enough bowls for everyone so we'll have to share. As soon as you're done, bring the bowl back here." Sam was in charge of ladling the gruel – giving extra servings to the women with children – they would have to share their meal from the same bowl.

Martia was in charge of the water – allowing each person to take a long drink. The sighs of relief and pleasure could be heard every few seconds. They'd all been desperate for a drink.

By the time everyone had eaten at least another two hours had gone by. It wasn't enough food, but at least they weren't starving. Jack was probably the worst off, simply because of his size and need for more calories. Still, it wasn't bad – he'd gone for much longer periods without food.

The one big problem they now all faced was that of sanitation. He could tell, from many of the faces around him, that the situation was getting desperate. The smell from some of the children was already bad – there were no diapers here.

Unfortunately, there was also no plumbing. All they had were the buckets left over from supper. This was going to get real bad, real fast he realized. Oh well, it was better than sewage on the floor!

Turning to Sam he brought the subject up. He knew from her response that she'd been thinking about it too.

"I think you'd better say something to the women Sam. I don't think they'd want to hear it from me." He smiled briefly.

"I will Sir. What about privacy?"

"Well, that's going to be a little difficult. I guess what we should do is get some of the women to stand in a line facing this way. We can put the buckets in behind and they can act as a human 'wall'. That way the person – ah – using the facilities will have some privacy."

"What about paper?"

"Nope – this is jungle style! I guess we'll all have to do the 'drip dry' method."

"Easy for you to say Sir! You're not a woman."

"Nope, never have been Major. But I do sympathize. I wish I had a solution. What are going to be more or a problem are the babies. I suggest the women strip the diapers off them otherwise we'll have some wicked diaper rash. They can do what the Chinese do and hold the babies over the buckets."

Okay, she thought – that was a very strange conversation. To hear the Colonel talk about diaper rash with such expertise was rather disconcerting – and sad actually – but the fact that he knew about the Chinese custom of not using diapers was just plain weird. Jack O'Neill never ceased to amaze her.

"All right Sir, here goes." Sam spent the next few minutes explaining to the women what they were going to do. Some looked horrified, but most looked relieved. She knew how they felt, her bladder was about ready to burst.

Jack had gathered the older boys and explained matters to them as well. At least the little brats listened to him, she thought. Then she felt guilty. They were only behaving the way they'd been taught. If anyone can change them it's the Colonel.

The women began lining up and one by one took turns using the buckets. By the time they were three quarters of the way done the stench was awful. Hopefully the Jaffa would return soon and start doing something to clear out the room.

Jack held the boys back to the very end. It would do them good to learn to let the women go first for a change. And anyway, he figured it was easier for them to hold it!

Finally, it was his turn. He was actually a little uncomfortable being surrounded by all these women. A few of them actually giggled as he made his way behind the 'wall'. They were clearly feeling more at ease around him. He kind of preferred it before – although he quickly stopped that thought as being sexist.

Everyone was looking a little better, having had something to eat and drink and then having been able to relieve themselves. Trouble was they now had even less space than ever. No one wanted to be in the 'latrine' area. Come on Goa'uld – get us out of here

No sooner had he thought the words than the door opened and in walked Mr. big cheese Jaffa – the First Prime, along with his minions. Jack wondered what it would be like to have minions – probably irritating as hell!

Minion #1 held his staff weapon primed and ready as Minion #2 opened the door. Big cheese spoke,

"You", he pointed at Jack and Sam, "you will come."

"Ah darn it! Not us again! Why do you guys always seem to want to take us? We're really not very interesting people. Rather boring, in fact. Sam here is even worse than me – not interesting at all." As he was speaking – or babbling actually, he was sizing up the situation to see if there was any way out of this. Looked like the Minions were being too careful. He figured they didn't have a chance, not unless they were willing to see some of the women or kids hurt – which wasn't an option.

The First Prime nodded at one of the women and one of his Jaffa started to advance towards her.

"Okay, okay – we're coming." Jack stood up carefully, with Carter's help, and limped to the door. The woman looked relieved and gave him a grateful look.

Once they'd exited the cell the Jaffa did their usual Jaffa thing and pushed them.

"Hey you guys, come on. We're moving – don't go shoving us all the time. It's not nice." That, of course, led to a harder shove. What was more painful was Sam's look of complete irritation. Oops – she was not happy with his 'humorous banter'. Just trying to ease the tension Major, he said to himself.

They were marched down the corridor of the small ship – much smaller than a Hatak. Jack was relieved that they didn't have far to go – his leg was killing him. Also nice was the fresh air. He hadn't realized quite how bad it had gotten in the cell. It was going to be hell going back.

They finally arrived at what was the 'throne' room for the snakehead. This was a guy he'd never seen before. Probably just a minor Goa'uld, although it really didn't matter. They were all evil, slimy bastards.

Waiting for the requisite "kneel before your God" schtick, Jack was surprised when they were left standing. Snakey was simply looking at them, calculation in his eyes. Finally he spoke.

"Who are you?"

"Uh, name's Jack, this is Sam. Nice to meet you."

"I say again, who are you?"

"I just told you. What more do you want?"

This Goa'uld seemed to have a lot more patience than most, thought Sam. Usually by this time they were ready to tear Jack's liver out. Something she could relate to at times.

"Where are you from?"

"Well, I'm from Chicago originally but moved to Minnesota as a boy. Right now I'm living in Colorado. Sam lives there too – she was from all over before. Born in California though."

The Goa'uld suddenly smiled. Okay, not the reaction I expected, thought Jack.

"So, you are from this 'Colorado' – what world is that?" He walked closer.

"We're from the planet Krypton. It's many, many light years away."

"How did you get to the planet we found you on?"

"I'm not sure. One day I went to sleep and the next morning I woke up on the planet. Mighty confusing, let me tell you. We'd appreciate it if you could drop us back home on your way to … uh, wherever it is you're going."

Jack saw the Goa'uld give a faint nod but, before he realized what that meant he was struck in the lower back by the side of a staff weapon. Falling to the ground he groaned, "son of a bitch! Why'd you do that?" he gasped.

"Because I do not appreciate your lies. You mock me. I will know where you are from and why you were on the planet. If you do not tell me I will hurt the woman." He turned and motioned for his guards to grab Sam. She struggled but they quickly forced her to her knees.

"Now again, who are you and where are you from?"

Jack was no longer joking. He somehow had to figure out how to get them out of this without giving anything away, or getting Sam hurt.

"I told you the truth. My name is Jack, hers is Sam. We are from Colorado. We have a small ship and we were on the planet looking to trade. We had only just arrived and figured there was nothing there. We were going to leave today when you arrived. We are simple traders, nothing more."

The Goa'uld looked at him and nodded. He then lifted his arm slightly at which time the Jaffa holding Sam began to twist her arm behind her back. She attempted to struggle but could barely move. As the pressure became more intense he could see the color drain from her face. He tried to go to her aid but the Jaffa behind him grabbed him and held him back.

He suddenly heard a 'pop' and a strangled cry from Sam. The bastard had pulled her shoulder out of its socket.

"God damn it. What did you do that for? I told you the truth." He struggled, trying to get to Carter. The Jaffa had let her go and she turned on her side, heaving up her meager dinner.

"I know. I believe you. I wanted to show you the penalty for mocking me." He walked over to Sam and kicked her gently, contemptuously, with his foot.

"This one has potential, although she is a bit old. I like the coloring – very unusual – not something you see very often." He turned and walked towards Jack.

"You also show potential. You are older than most but still young enough to serve my purpose. You also appear strong. Yes, I think you will both work out fine." Turning to his First Prime he instructed him,

"Take them to the smaller cell and keep them there. Keep them on low rations – I want them alive but weakened. I do not trust these two – they will try something."

"Yes my Lord." The servant nodded to his Jaffa and they were grabbed and hauled to their feet. Sam whimpered as her shoulder was moved. Jack looked at her in concern. He knew how much that hurt. Great, he thought, they were both in lousy shape and now they were part of some 'plan' by a Goa'uld. This was going to be tricky.

The Jaffa dragged them out of the 'throne room' and back down the hall. This time they were thrown into a tiny room with nothing in it at all. There was barely room for Jack to lie flat. As the door swooshed shut they were left alone with their wounds and their thoughts.

"Come here – let me fix that", he said gently to Carter.

"I'd really rather you didn't, Sir", she gasped out.

"I know. It's gonna hurt like hell but you'll feel better afterward." He walked over and gently took her wrist.

"That's what my mother always said when she went to pull off my Band-Aids."

"And wasn't she right?"

"No – it hurt worse afterward."

He choked back a laugh. Sam in her 'childish' mode was interesting to see. She was pouting knowning that he'd have to put her shoulder back in place. Oh well … nothing ventured….

Without giving her anytime to think about it he put his other hand on her shoulder, as if to give her sympathy. Without warning he yanked it as hard as he could, feeling it pop back into place. She screeched – an amazing sound."

"Damn it Sir! You could have warned me!"

"And then what Major? You'd have been all tense and it would have hurt more. Believe me, I've been here before. This was the best way."

"Hmmmph!" she scowled at him, still mad at what he'd done.

"Let's just say it's payback Major."

"Payback? For what Sir?"

"For setting my leg in Antarctica."

"But that was years ago Colonel!"

"Yes, but the pain still lingers." He sighed dramatically.

That was enough to cause her to snort in disbelief, and then in humor. At least it was taking her mind off the pain. She finally eased herself to the ground, feeling warn out with everything.

"What do you think's going to happen Sir? What was the Goa'uld talking about?"

"I don't know Carter, I don't know – but somehow, I don't think it's good."


	3. Hurt and Comfort

Jack looked at her and realized she was miserable. Her shoulder was obviously killing her – he suspected there were probably some torn ligaments as well as the more obvious damage. Fortunately nothing seemed broken so hopefully everything would be fine. She wouldn't be able to do much with that arm for awhile though.

He walked a few steps over to the far wall and sat down. Leaning against it with his back he stretched his legs out in front of him. Scissoring them open he looked up at Sam.

"Come hear."

"What Sir?"

"Come here and sit down." He gestured in front of him. When she realized what he meant she shook her head.

"Oh no Colonel. I'll be fine. You need to be resting."

"And I am – that's why I'm sitting here. But you need to support that shoulder and it's not going to be very comfortable trying to lie down or lean against a solid wall. Come on, it's my turn. You lent me your lap, the least I can do is offer my – uh – myself as a backrest."

She looked uncertain but it was tempting – only because her shoulder really was throbbing.

"All right, for a little while, but tell me when you get tired."

"Fine Major. Now get your butt down here."

She walked over and carefully lowered herself down. Scooting back, between his legs, she leaned up against his chest very lightly.

"Relax Carter. I'm not gonna bite. You need to rest that shoulder."

With a sigh she let her body relax completely against him. It did make a difference. Her shoulder was acking fiercly and being able to get some support seemed to help.

Jack was in a bit of a quandary. He admitted to himself that he quite enjoyed having Carter leaning back against him – it was almost as good as having his head in her lap! The only problem was he didn't quite know what to do with his arms. It wasn't comfortable just sitting with them hanging by his side, but he somehow didn't feel right putting them around her.

Ah hell, he said to himself, just think of it like riding a motorcycle. I need to hang on! He carefully, tentatively put his arms around her, one under her right arm which was okay, and the other gently over top of her left, which was the one which was hurt. He then carefully rested his hands in her lap.

"Is this okay Major?" he asked. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, either physically or, ah, otherwise.

"Yeah, it's fine Sir. Thank you. This feels much better. Are you okay? How's your side?"

"Hunky Dorey, Carter. I barely notice it."

Snorting in disbelief she nevertheless dropped her head back so it was resting partially on his shoulder. She was beginning to feel incredibly sleepy. Knowing there was nothing they could do at the moment, she figured she might as well get some sleep. She let out a big yawn and closed her eyes.

"Try and get some sleep Carter", the Colonel repeated what she'd just been thinking. "We wanna be at our best."

"Yes Sir. You should try and sleep too Colonel", she yawned again.

"I will", he yawned back at her. He leaned against the wall with his head, soothed by the presence of a soft, warm body pressed against him. Damn, he could really get used to all this closeness with Sam. Too bad she was taken.

With that very depressing thought he too closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

"Aaagh, what happened?" Daniel tried to sit up but felt incredibly dizzy. He looked over at Teal'c, who was also having some trouble sitting up straight. He chuckled, thinking how funny it was to see a drunken Jaffa – he'd never seen Teal'c in that state before.

He started humming a song to himself – "what do you do with a drunken Jaffa, what do you do with a drunken Jaffa, what do you do with a drunken Jaffa, ear - lie in the morning?" For some reason he thought this was incredibly humorous and proceeded to collapse in giggles.

"I do not find that funny, Daniel Jackson", a very stern but woozy looking Teal'c said. "I am not drunk. In fact, Jaffa cannot get drunk. Our 'little juniors' will not allow us to become drunk!" he hiccupped loudly, which sent Daniel into another frenzy of laughter.

"Okay, okay, you're not drunk – just happy."

"I am not 'happy' Daniel Jackson. Jaffa do not get 'happy'."

"No? That's sad Teal'c. That's really sad. What can I do to make you happy?" Daniel was feeling very bad for his friend. There had to be something to help him.

"I do not know. I will have to think on this." Teal'c hiccupped again. He sat back and tried to concentrate, finding it very difficult with the room moving around him.

"Why is the room tilting?" he asked.

Daniel looked around him. He could see various villagers passed out around the room. Some were just starting to stir.

"I don't know Teal'c, maybe something to do with alien technology – except I would describe it more as spinning than tilting."

"No, it is definitely tilting."

"Okay, if you insist. So – lets get back to making you happy. We've gotta figure this out. I don't like it when my friends aren't happy. Jack wasn't happy when I met him – no he was very sad. He still gets sad sometimes but he's better. That's because of the barbeques I think. Jack likes barbeques. Do you like barbeques Teal'c?"

Teal'c pondered this very carefully. "Yes. I believe I do. I find meat very good – except when O'Neill burns it. Then I do not like barbeques."

"So, would you say that barbeques make you happy?"

Again Teal'c thought this over carefully.

"I may say they make me happy although I am not sure. I will have to think some more."

"Okay, but let me know when you've finished. Now I know what makes Sam…." he stopped. There was something bothering him, something about Sam.

"Teal'c!" He sat up suddenly. "I know what's keeping you from being happy. It's Sam. It's her fault you're not happy. I bet that's why Jack is still sad sometimes too. We're going to have to do something about that."

Teal'c also sat up and looked at his friend. "I believe you are correct Daniel Jackson. It is Major Carter. If it were not for her then I believe I would experience happiness. What do you suggest we do?"

"Well, I guess we'd better get back to the village. Jack will be there. We'll have to talk to him and explain what we've learned. He probably doesn't know so we'll want to tell him quietly so Carter doesn't hear. After that we'll figure out a way to get rid of her – then we can all be happy." Daniel smiled widely. He'd just figured it out and was feeling great.

The only thing that was keeping him from feeling one hundred percent was the thought of Sam, and, the more he thought of her the angrier he started to become. Pretty soon he could feel himself wanting to strike out. He just wished she were here, now, then he'd definitely do something.

"Let's go. We gotta get Jack and do something now!" He stood up, reached his hand down to Teal'c and helped his friend up. With a short glance at the villagers they turned and walked out of the temple and headed back to the village.

When they arrived everything seemed incredibly quiet. They thought they saw someone scurrying into one of the houses. Probably one of those damn women, Daniel thought. Why don't their men do something about them?

"Where is everyone?" Teal'c asked, looking around.

"I don't know Teal'c. Let's go to Amdahl's house. Maybe Jack is there." They turned and walked towards the small house in which they'd spent their first night. Walking in they immediately saw that no one was there, although a table was upturned and something had burned on the small stove.

"Left it a mess. Amdahl won't be happy. He'll have to correct his woman!"

"Yes indeed. It is not right for a woman to leave the house like this. But where is O'Neill?"

"Do you think the women hurt him? Oh God Teal'c, what if they've killed him. What if Sam shot him or something?"

"We had best see. Let us find one of the other women and ask." The two men left the house and started checking some of the other buildings.

They could not find anyone in any of the first houses they checked but most of them were a mess with furniture knocked over, dishes broken and food on the floor. Disgusted at what they saw they continued until they came upon a house in which two women sat cowering in the corner.

"Women!" Daniel called, disgust in his voice. "I am looking for my friend, the man who was with us. Do you know where he is? Do not lie to us or you will be punished."

Unfortunately, this was language the women understood well. One of them immediately answered,

"Strangers came and took him away, along with many of the women and children. They left only the old ones."

At any other time it would have hit Daniel that the 'old ones' were women who couldn't have been more than 30 or 35. In this village it was clear women didn't live very long.

"You are lying woman!" shouted Teal'c. He advanced on the two who scurried back in terror. This man was huge and they knew he could do some serious damage to them.

"No, no kind lord. We tell the truth. Strangers came – they had marks on their foreheads like you. They carried weapons also like yours. They took the women and children. They also captured the man who was with you. They injured him but carried him with them when they left."

"What about the woman who was with us?" Daniel asked.

"She was taken as well."

Daniel turned to his friend. "I bet Sam betrayed us. It sounds like Goa'uld have discovered this planet. It could only have been her."

"I believe you are right. What should we do?"

"I guess we'd better return to the SGC and tell General Hammond. We'll have to see if we can find Jack and bring him back."

"And Major Carter?" Tealc asked.

"She's a traitor – she deserves to die."

She woke with a start. Her neck was stiff from sleeping in an awkward position and her shoulder continued to throb. She could feel Jack's even breathing behind her – he was still sleeping.

She tried to keep still, not wanting to wake him, but she was feeling very hot. It took her a second to realize that the heat was emanating from the Colonel. She reached down to his hand, which was resting on her lap and softly touched his wrist. Yes, he definitely had a fever.

Damn, she thought. She'd been afraid of this but wasn't surprised. She had expected this to happen. There was nothing she could do however, so figured she'd might as well let him sleep. The problem was that she was probably making the fever worse by lying against him.

She began to ease herself away but the movement caused him to instantly awake. Again she wasn't surprised. Jack always slept lightly on missions. Besides which, he probably wasn't terribly comfortable.

"What's wrong Carter?", he croaked. His throat was dry.

"You've got a fever Sir. I was moving away because I'm making you too hot."

Jack laughed to himself – truer words were never spoken! That'd been a problem for a lot of years.

"It's okay Major – I'll be fine."

"No you won't Sir, not if your fever gets too high. You have to cool off."

"All right, all right. What I really could use is a glass of water. I don't suppose the Minions have brought any have they?"

"The 'what' Sir?"

"Minions – that's what I call them – you know, kinda like Igor."

She laughed. Only the Colonel would thing of something like that. "No, no water and no Minions. Just us."

"Hey, that's okay Carter. We make a good team." He didn't look at her as he said this but she glanced up and smiled. It was a nice thing for him to say.

"Thank you Sir. I agree. If we had to be captured I can't think of anybody I'd rather be with than y – ur someone from my team."

"Not Pete?" he asked. "Thought you'd rather be with your boyfriend." This time his voice had lost its friendly tone and had become somewhat acidic. She picked up on that immediately and bristled. Why did he have to always spoil everything?

"Well of course Sir, that goes without saying. But I was talking about when we're on a mission. Although he'd be great to have here as well – he is a policeman after all."

"Yeah – and you'd be much happier using _**him**_ as a pillow!" He didn't know if it was the fever, the fact that his side was hurting like hell, or that he was dying of thirst, but suddenly he felt the need to lash out at Sam.

She clenched her teeth, knowing that she was in danger of saying something she'd regret. Yes, this was why she was glad she had Pete. He'd never behave like a spoiled brat and start ridiculing her boyfriend. No – Pete was the right man for her.

She moved over, as far away from the Colonel as she could get in the little room, leaned against the wall and again closed her eyes. There was nothing she could do for him and she was damned if she was going to give him the satisfaction of trying to defend herself or Pete.

"Come on Major. Why don't you tell me a little bit about your boyfriend" (the way he said 'boyfriend' set her teeth on edge). "You haven't really told us anything. Something you're trying to hide?"

She began counting in time with her breathing. Keep cool Sam, don't respond.

"He been married before?" he was pushing her. "Come on, throw me a bone – tell me something about him."

"Yes, he's been married."

"What happened? He do something? You sure he was a good husband? Maybe there's something wrong with him. You check him out?"

"No Sir."

"Really – you can't be too careful, you know. A lot of marriages break up now days because the man was a real bastard – wife couldn't take it anymore."

"You'd know Sir", she answered softly.

The silence was deadly. Oh my God, she thought. What had she just done? He'd made her so mad she'd just lashed out – with probably one of the few things that could really hurt him. She opened her eyes and looked at him, ready to apologize. She saw that his eyes were closed and he was leaning back. He looked white and deep frown lines were furrowed between his brows.

"Sir, I'm ..'

"Leave it Major", he interrupted quietly. He knew he'd been a bastard and that he'd thoroughly deserved what she'd said. That still didn't stop it from hurting unbearably. To know that's what she thought of him – or knew of him – caused the pain to spike through his heart. Why had he ever allowed himself to love her? He was no good – she was right, he'd been a terrible husband, a terrible father. She was much better off with Pete.

"Just go back to sleep Sam. There's nothing we can do right now."

"Yes Sir"

Neither of them spoke for a long time, but nor did they sleep. They both sat, totally still, eyes closed, and thought about what had just happened.

Jack decided, there and then, that it was time to let go of the fantasy of a life with Carter. It couldn't ever happen – shouldn't ever happen. He had to learn to be happy for her and allow her the chance to lead a real life, outside work, and not give her a hard time. Right from this moment, he said to himself, I am nothing more than her CO and her friend. Anything else is now officially over – even if it was only in my dreams anyway.

With a heavy heart, and a soul filled with regret, he sat - letting die the one dream that had brought any happiness.

Sam's thoughts were more confused. She couldn't understand why the Colonel had lashed out at her in the first place. He was the one constantly telling her to get a life. Why was he being such a jerk about Pete then? He didn't even know him, only having met him briefly after their recent adventure with the Goa'uld on earth.

Maybe it was because Pete wasn't in the Air Force. Maybe Jack was like her father – who thought that only AF officers could possibly be good enough for Sam. She was kind of surprised at that, though. She hadn't thought the Colonel was such a tight ass as that.

She opened her eyes and peaked at the man, sitting across from her. He looked like he was sleeping but she suspected he wasn't. Probably just avoiding talking to me, she thought. Yeah, that's a Jack O'Neill way to handle things! Why could he be so great one minute and such a jerk the next? What was it about her that caused him to act like that? She hadn't seen him behave the same way to Teal'c or to Daniel. Oh, he could tease both of them – and he often got impatient when Daniel was in full 'archaeologist' mode – but he usually didn't get angry at them for no reason.

The last few weeks had been difficult. For the first time in a long time – since she first joined the team in fact, she felt uncomfortable around her teammates. No, that's not quite true, she admitted, it was just the Colonel who made her feel uncomfortable. Thinking back, she realized it was since her return from the Prometheus that things had begun to change.

That gave her a bit of an 'ah ha' moment. It was on that mission that she'd finally decided to give up her fantasy of a life with the Colonel. Her friends and family – well actually it was her subconscious – had told her that she had to move on, get a life, reach for happiness and she'd done so.

Maybe she'd been the one to change, she thought. Maybe she'd been colder to the Colonel as a result and he was simply reacting to that. She knew she hadn't spent as much time with the team as before, being caught up in a new relationship and all. That could be it. Maybe he was hurt at her because he felt she was withdrawing her friendship.

The only other explanation that made any sense would be that he was jealous and that was just …. impossible! There was no way the Colonel had those kind of feelings for her. He'd made that very plain. It was just that she hadn't been a good friend. She'd have to do better. Maybe keeping Pete away from the Team had hurt him. It could have been that he thought she was somehow ashamed of them and didn't want to introduce them to her boyfriend (okay, she was really beginning to hate that word!)

That was it, she decided. When they got back (if they - no don't even think that). _**w**__**hen**_ they got back she invite her team over to meet Pete. She'd start bringing him to team nights and get him to spend more time with her friends. That would make Jack feel better, she was sure of it.

Having settled that in her own mind she relaxed, although she was still feeling incredibly guilty over hurting the Colonel. She'd have to apologize and explain that she hadn't really meant it. Surely he knew she didn't think he'd been a bad husband. In fact, she knew from lots of people that he'd been a great husband.

She didn't know how many hours it had been since they'd been thrown in this room. She'd lost track of time. She did know, however, that she was incredibly thirsty and starving. She'd lost her meager meal when she'd had her shoulder wrenched out of its soccer. She'd give anything for a glass of water.

On top of that, she was again needing the facilities. Probably a good thing they hadn't had much to drink or it would have been worse. As it was she didn't think she could last too much longer. Now this was going to be difficult if the 'Minions' (she laughed to herself again at that) didn't provide something.

"How are you feeling Sir", she asked. One of them needed to break the silence. Who knew how long they'd be stuck here.

"Fine."

Okay, that was great! The Colonel was obviously still angry.

"Fine, Carter. Just a little hot but I'll be okay." He'd promised himself he'd start to treat Sam like a friend so he'd better start. It wasn't her fault anyway – he'd deserved what she said.

Relieved by the tone of his last comment she wiggled over to his side. She reached out and put her hand on his forehead. At first he jerked away but then he relaxed and let her check him

"Your fever doesn't feel too bad Colonel. How does your side feel?"

"Hurts Carter but I've had worse. I can handle it. What's worse right now is the thirst. I keep dreaming of tall, cold glasses of beer."

"Ooooh Sir – that's mean. Now I've got that in my head too. A beer with a nice, big juicy steak, a baked potato with sour cream, and a big, crunchy salad."

"And garlic bread, can't forget the garlic bread Sam."

"And for dessert?"

"Cake of course. Thick, moist chocolate cake."

"With layers of mouse and whipping cream."

"Followed by a cappuccino and a nice brandy."

There was silence in the room as the two contemplated, not the meal they'd just dreamed up, but how relieved they were to be back talking as friends.

"Actually Sir, a tall glass of water would be equally as good right now."

"You said it. That and a latrine."

"You too?"

"Yeah."

"We'd better think about something else. Take our mind off it."

"Okay, what should we talk about?" Both of them were conscious of the pitfalls that could happen in a conversation at this point. Neither of them wanted to touch on anything too personal.

"What do you think Teal'c and Daniel are doing?" Good a nice, safe topic.

"Well, I suspect that when they returned to the village and found out what happened they hot-footed it back home to tell General Hammond. They'd want to start looking for us right away."

"Mmmm Hmm.", she agreed. She knew her teammates. They wouldn't rest until they rescued both the Colonel and her. She knew they could count on them.

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

The Colonel paused, hesitant about bringing it up after the last few minutes of camaraderie.

"Uh, about before …. I'm sorry. I was a jerk. I can only excuse it on the fact that I .. ah" he found it hard to continue. Fortunately Sam jumped in.

"No Sir – it's okay. I understand, truly I do." He looked at her in surprise. God – he hoped not!

"I'm sorry too. I didn't mean what I said, I was just angry."

"No, that's okay – nothing but the truth after all."

"**What**? Surely you don't think I believe you were a bad husband?" When he didn't say anything she got angry again. Why did this man always think the worst of himself!

"For heavens sake Colonel! We all know you were a great husband and we also know it was just a horrible tragedy that caused your marriage to end. It's common knowledge with everyone that knew you back then. I've heard lots of people say you were a great husband and a great father. I only said what I did because I was pissed and I really didn't mean it – you have to believe me Colonel!

He looked at her in surprise, not only at the fact that people had said that about him, but more about the fact that she'd obviously been interested.

"Well, I'm glad you don't really think that of me Colonel – and I'd like to say it wasn't true but …."

She would have continued to argue with him, upset that he carried this idea around with him when they suddenly heard the door open. Looking up she saw two Jaffa standing there. One held a weapon – pointed directly at them – the other held two bowls. He reached down and laid them on the floor just inside the door and stepped back. They were going to close it when the Colonel spoke.

"Hey – we could use something to – ah – you know, answer the call of nature?"

The Jaffa just looked confused at this. Okay, he thought, what is the Jaffa colloquial expression for going to the bathroom?

"We have to relieve ourselves." Sam said. God, she was smart!

The Jaffa looked at each other clearly confused. They had been told to bring the prisoners food and water – nothing else. But it was true they had been left for many hours and they didn't relish the thought of them fouling the cell.

Turning back, the Jaffa with the weapon pointed at Jack. "You will come with me."

"Why?" Jack didn't move.

The Jaffa grew impatient. "The woman said you needed to relieve yourselves. I will take you to the 'cha'tra'."

Looking at Carter he raised his eyebrows. "Well, here's hoping that's the Goa'uld word for potty." He walked out of the cell and turned the direction the Jaffa indicated. A short way down the hall they stopped. The Jaffa reached over and touched a panel and motioned for Jack to enter a small chamber. The door closed after him.

Okay, he thought, this must be the bathroom but where the hell was anything. He wished he had Teal'c here to explain the Goa'uld version of a WC. There were a few panels and he began hitting them randomly.

He got sprayed in the face – and in the crotch area (great – it's gonna look like I peed myself), got a quick 'blow dry' and had something, he hoped it was soap, ooze out and drip on the floor. Finally, he hit a panel that made something move out from the wall. It eventually opened and he assumed it was the toilet. Oh well, if it wasn't before it is now!

He sighed in relief – that was much better! He couldn't find any TP and had to assume that they used water to wash themselves off with. Oh well – easy for him but he felt sorry for Sam again. These toilets were definitely not created for women.

Carefully noticing which panel opened, and thankfully closed, the toilet he opened the door and headed out. The Jaffa gave him an exacerbated look – he'd been in there for a long time.

"Hey, whatya expect. You didn't let us pee all day – I had a lot on my mind."

The Jaffa looked even more confused, and a little scared. They probably thought he was crazy.

When he got back to the cell he could see that Sam was worried.

"Sorry about that", he told her. "Took awhile to figure out a Jaffa head." She glanced down and quickly whipped her eyes up again.

"Ah – that wasn't me Carter", he hastily explained. "They have some water works in there and I got splashed."

"Yes Sir", she deadpanned.

As the guards gestured for Sam to come with them he grabbed her good arm.

"The red panel to the right – that opens the 'toilet' Don't touch the green panel – not unless you want to get sprayed." She couldn't help but glance down again but when she caught his eye she blushed. Don't look at his crotch for God's sake, she said to herself. What are you thinking Sam!

She returned a short time later – she'd been much quicker than him. The guards probably figured he was an idiot.

He'd been waiting for her before dividing up the pitiful amount of food and water they'd been given. He remembered the Goa'uld's comments about keeping them on short rations

This was going to be hard.

The Jaffa returned about an hour later to retrieve the bowls – although what they thought they could do with them he couldn't guess. Oh well, it gave him an opening.

"So, tell me. What's the name of the Goa'uld who's ship we're on?"

"Our Lord's name is Matsya."

"Matzo – what kind of a name is that?'

"His name is Matsya – and he has already punished the woman because of your insolence. Do not make me hurt her some more."

"Okay, okay – didn't mean to insult you. I just want to learn something about your master. Is he a System Lord?"

"His concern is not building armies or conquering other worlds. He provides – he is the beginning of life."

"So, what does he provide?"

"That which the Lords need most."

"Okay – really complete answer there. Care to give me any more clues?"

"You are foolish. I do not know why my Lord has chosen you to serve. I expect it is only because of your looks, not your intelligence."

"Yeah – I'm afraid I get that a lot. Just eye candy, that's me. In my younger days I was nothing but a dumb blond."

"Colonel!" Sam was trying to keep them from getting whacked again.

"We have not heard of Matsya before", she added in a conciliatory tone of voice. "We are just wondering if you could tell us more – I mean, especially if we are going to be in his service and all."

The Jaffa looked at her and grinned. "You will not be so much in _**his**_ service …." The two of them laughed. This was really creepy.

"So what can you tell us?"

"You will see soon enough", the taller of the two answered. "We are here for one more day, providing for my Lord Baal. He prefers my Lord Matsya's supplies over all others'. When he has completed the transaction we will go to V'ratesh where you will begin your service." He turned and walked to the hall. The door closed behind him and they were again left alone.

"Any ideas Sir?"

"No – but I can tell you one thing Carter – ain't no way in hell I'm serving a Goa'uld!"

"Me neither Sir, me neither.'

Jack sat down and motioned for Sam to again sit in front of him. She still needed the support and it was the sort of thing a friend would do. And that's all you are O'Neill – a friend. As Sam leaned back in his arms he took one deep breath, breathing in her smell. Just one last time, he thought, just one more brief moment of dreaming and then I'll put it away for ever.


	4. The Waiting Game

**_Oops! I think I forgot to mention that Stargate and SG1 are not mine. Sorry! Some of you were wondering about time frames for this story. I can't say exactly - because it is AU - but it's sometime Season 7. Janet is alive (always!) but Daniel is back and Jack is still a Colonel. I'm not paying too much attention to episodes/time frames because it's only roughly based on canon - so it's really my time._**

Daniel reached out to dial the gate when he suddenly stopped.

"What is it Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c was standing beside him, impatient to get back to the SGC.

"I just thought of something Teal'c. Remember Hathor?"

He turned to Daniel, surprise on his face. "Of course. She was a System Lord. O'Neill killed her in the cryogenic chamber."

'Yeah – but that's not what I'm talking about. Do you remember when she was brought to the SGC – how she doped all the men with the Nishta?"

"Yes, that was the time she seduc-"

"Hey, let's not go there either right now Teal'c. What I'm getting at is she drugged all the men so none of us realized she was really bad. I'm thinking maybe that's what's happened here."

"You think that the men have been drugged with Nishta? But did not Dr. Frasier say that we were now immune?"

"Well, I don't mean we were actually drugged with Nishta – but something like it. What I'm trying to say is I don't think General Hammond or any of the men at the SGC are going to believe us when we tell them about Sam and the women. I think they'll just think it's us."

"Hmmm. I believe you may be right. What do you think we should do?"

"I think we should not say anything about what Sam's done – or that the other women are in on it. I think we should pretend that everything is normal. We can help with trying to rescue Jack – and Sam – and at the same time keep an eye on the women. I think we'd better watch Janet especially. I expect she's one of the main ones in on it."

"That would be logical as she has the most access to the men. She may even have been the one to administer the drug."

"I bet you're right Teal'c! I wonder how come we're no longer affected?" puzzled Daniel.

"I believe it may have been the ceremony and whatever was in the urns. It must have counteracted the drugs and now we can think straight."

"Okay – so let's head back and remember, don't let on a thing. Once we've captured" he turned and grinned, "or should I say, saved, Sam we can try and figure out how to fix the men. Maybe we'll have to bring a few here to go through the ceremony."

"It is going to be difficult Daniel. I do not want Janet Frasier or the women nurses looking at me when I return."

"I know – neither do I. Look at it this way, the men here on this planet actually have to _**live**_ with the women. At least we don't have to do that."

Nodding in agreement, Teal'c waited while this time Daniel completed dialing. As soon as the event horizon appeared, the two men walked through and returned to earth.

Dr. Jackson, Teal'c – welcome back." General Hammond was in his usual spot in the Control Room. "Where are O'Neill and Major Carter?"

"Uh – they've been taken Sir", Daniel called to the General. "Some Goa'uld turned up on the planet and took them along with most of the women and children."

"What!" Hammond left his spot and hurried down into the Gate Room.

"What happened for God's sake? Who was the Goa'uld?"

"We don't know General. We were participating in a cultural ceremony with the men. When we returned the next day they were gone. One of the women that was left told us they'd been taken. We're assuming they must have had a ship – either on the planet or in orbit."

"And you weren't able to discover who the Goa'uld was? What about the markings on the Jaffa?"

Daniel simply stared at the General and then looked over at Teal'c. He couldn't believe they hadn't asked. His only thought, when they'd found out that Jack was missing was that Sam must have had a hand in it, that she was a traitor.

"Uh, we don't know Sir." Daniel looked extremely sheepish.

"Did you ask?" Hammond asked sharply. He knew that Jackson could sometimes be absentminded but this was beyond belief. And he certainly would have expected more from Teal'c.

"No General Hammond", the Jaffa answered. "We did not ask. Daniel Jackson and I participated in a lengthy ceremony and when we returned in the morning we were … we were not rationale, completely ….."

"What he's trying to say General is that we were a bit hung over. We didn't think about the markings, only about getting back quickly."

"You were DRUNK!" he was furious. What the hell did these two think they were doing and why did O'Neill let them take part in a drunken party?

"Ah Sir – it wasn't intentional. We were just observing, we even said we wouldn't take part. They used some kind of incense for the ceremony and we had no idea it would affect us like that. We tried to leave as soon as we realized but it was too late. We passed out almost immediately and didn't wake up until the next morning."

Somewhat appeased, Hammond was still upset. "Why didn't O'Neill and Major Carter accompany you to this ceremony?"

"Well, women aren't allowed. You see, they're evil - I mean the people on the planet think they're evil so they can't attend. Jack was worried about leaving Carter alone so he stayed with her. He thought it would be best for Teal'c and I to go."

"I see. Well, someone's going to have to go back to the planet and find out some more information. It'd probably better be you two since they already know you. Unless they blame you for what happened to their women?"

"Uh, I don't know Sir. We got back to the village before the rest of the men and didn't wait for them. We came back here right away."

The General threw up his hands. "It's a good thing you were drunk Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, otherwise I'd have your hides for the stupidity of this mission and how you've handled things. Get to the Infirmary and get checked over. Tell Dr. Frasier about this 'drug', she's going to need to check you for that. After you're done hot foot it to the Briefing Room. We'll do a quick debrief and then I want you back there. Take SG3 with you just in case you run into trouble." Shaking his head, the General returned up the stairs to the Control room and on to his office.

"That did not go well Daniel Jackson."

"No, we kinda blew it didn't we. Oh well, at least we didn't let on about Sam. I gotta say it's hard though. I want to tell him that she's a traitor. And now we have to deal with Janet."

Both of the men looked sick at this prospect but knew they had to get it over and done with quickly.

"Where are Colonel O'Neill and Sam?" asked Janet as she walked in, carrying her clipboard.

"They have been captured by a Goa'uld" answered Teal'c simply.

"What! You're kidding, right?" She looked at the two men perched on examining tables. She thought she caught a quick look of anger from Daniel but Teal'c was his usual inscrutable self. Obviously, if Daniel was this angry they must be telling the truth!

"But how – and who? What Goa'uld was it? I didn't think that there was any evidence of Goa'uld on that planet. What happened."

"I'm sure you know." Daniel sneered.

"Pardon me? What does that mean?"

Teal'c coughed and Daniel looked up and caught his eye. Yeah, he had to do better.

"Sorry Janet – I'm just upset. Ah, we don't know who it was. We're going to head back to the planet and see if we can find out more information. We wanted to come back here first and check in."

"And we were to tell you that we were exposed to some kind of alien drug. Both of us are feeling fine now but the General wants us to be examined."

"Really? What kind of drug?"

"I don't know Doctor – that's what you are for!" Janet glanced up again at Daniel. Something was really off.

"Okay, we'll get started on some tests. If you check out okay I'll clear you to go back. God, I hope they're all right."

"I'm sure Sam's fine." Daniel commented, sarcasm dripping from his voice. Teal'c quickly jumped in with,

"We know O'Neill was injured but we do not know how badly."

"Oh, damn. That's typical. Okay guys, sleeves up. I've gotta take some blood."

"Uh Janet, why don't you get Schwarz to do it? Isn't that what your nurses are for? It'll leave you to do more important things – like test the blood, etc." Schwarz was one of the male nurses who worked at the SGC.

Janet again looked puzzled but nodded. Actually, what Daniel said was truth. She could better spend her time elsewhere. It's just that she'd gotten into the habit of always doing the post mission checks for SG1 personally – probably because she considered them all friends, as well as colleagues. Added to that was the fact that they always seemed to be the ones who brought back the strangest medical conditions.

"All right." She pulled off her gloves. I'll send Airman Schwarz in to do your tests. I'll check them over as soon as they're done.

Neither man said anything, simply watched her as she left. It gave her a really creepy feeling which was odd. Daniel and Teal'c were two of her favorite people in the SGC and she'd never felt anything but friendship from both of them. Maybe it was the worry about Sam and O'Neill that had them acting so strangely. Shaking her head, she walked out of the Infirmary to her office.

By the time the Jaffa finally came back both Sam and Jack were feeling pretty miserable. Jack's fever had gotten steadily worse and he felt like crap. Sam was in pain from her shoulder, tired and hungry. They had tried to rest but it was almost impossible.

"How long do you think it's been?" asked Sam, still leaning back against Jack.

"I don't know, probably a day or so. I wish they'd at least left us our watches. It's not like they're special, super duper spy watches or anything."

"Hey, I wonder why they never give us anything like that? You know, some of the stuff like James Bond always got. With the work we do it would come in handy."

"Yeah it can."

"What?" She twisted her head around to look at him. "Are you telling me you've used some nifty 'spy' toys?"

"Well, in my Black Op days we sometimes had some things – you know, miniature cameras and things like that. I would have loved to have a car with rockets or that could turn into a boat but unfortunately the government wouldn't spring for that."

"Wow – that's cool. Did you have your own decoder ring?"

He laughed, "No, but I did beg one of my commanders for one. He told me to send away my bubble gum wrappers."

Settling back, Sam grinned. She really was glad it was Jack who was with her. He was the only one she knew who could find humor in the worst situation and, as a result, help her take her mind off things. She could just imagine Jack having neat little toys to play with – he would have loved that. When they got back she'd have to invent some little thing for him to take along on missions. Maybe she would make him his own decoder ring. The thought amused her for a moment until she realized that giving Jack a ring – any kind of ring – probably wasn't a good thing. Damn, why did their relationship have to be so complicated.

"You're thinkin' Sam!" he whispered.

"Of course I'm thinking. What else is there to do?"

"No, I mean you're thinking about bad stuff. No point in doing that. Let's just wait and see what happens okay?"

He thought she was worried about the Goa'uld! She wondered what he'd say if she told him that she was spending more time thinking about him than about their predicament. That thought amused her slightly. She just knew he'd get a 'deer in the headlights' look if she told him that.

"Colonel, how are you doing?" She figured she'd better change the subject."

"I-"

"If you say 'fine' again Sir, I'll .. I'll – "

"Yes?" he smiled, "what will you do?"

"Well – nothing I guess. But you have to tell me how you're really do feel Sir. Please?"

He sighed, "Okay Major – the staff burn is infected but I don't think it's too bad yet. It hurt's like hell but that's probably a good thing – probably means it's not as deep. I have a slight fever but I don't think that would be too bad if I had some more water. There – how's that? Feel better?"

Now it was her turn to sigh, but this time in exasperation. Typical man! She slid forward, away from him. This meant he had to withdraw his arms from around her. She was surprised at how empty that made her feel.

Turning around she looked at the Colonel. Yes, it was obvious he had a fever – and a much higher one than he claimed. His eyes were also beginning to look a little glassy.

"Okay Sir – you're turn."

"My turn for what Carter?" he looked at her suspiciously.

In answer she scooted over to the wall and gingerly leaned back. She then patted her lap.

"My turn for pillow duty. Come on, I've been using you for hours. You need to rest or you're not going to get better. And before you say anything, yes, my shoulder hurts, but all I have to do is to keep it still – I don't have to worry about infection. So, respectfully Sir, get your butt over here!"

Wanting to argue some more, but in reality feeling much too tired and sick, he did what Sam wanted. It did feel heavenly to lie out, his head in her lap.

Unfortunately, he didn't have long to enjoy it. Twenty or so minutes later the doors opened and the Minion twins walked in.

"You will come. My Lord wishes to see you."

Jack pushed himself to a sitting position, a little worried by how weak and woozy he felt. He actually wasn't sure if he could get up.

Sam stood and then reached down with her good arm. Gratefully, he took her preferred hand and, with her help, was able to go verticle. Once there, however, he felt so weak he knew walking was going to be an issue. He so didn't want to get carried by one of these guys. It was humiliating.

"The Colonel needs help", Sam stood beside him, pretty much holding him up. "Lord Matsya said to keep us alive – well, he's not going to be alive unless he gets help."

Jack kind of glanced at Carter in surprise. He sure hoped she was saying that for effect and not becausee it was true. Okay, he felt awful, but he really didn't think he was going to die!

He opened his mouth to inform her of that when she squeezed his arm – hard! Ow! That hurt, he glared at her. She raised an eyebrow slightly. Okay, okay, I'll be quiet! Geesh!

Sam realized that the fever, and probably the pain, were starting to affect the Colonel. He was loosing focus and was having trouble concentrating. She'd been afraid he'd almost blown it then.

"We will speak to our Lord. He will know what to do." The bigger of the two Jaffa, and clearly the head guy, answered. He then pointed with his staff weapon for them to head out.

Holding Jack up pretty much the whole way they finally arrived in the throne room. Good old Matzo Ball (so sue her – she'd been working with the Colonel for 7 years now), looked his Goa'uldy best, decked out in blues and golds. She didn't like to acknowledge it, but his host was an extraordinarily handsome man.

"My business has been accomplished - very satisfactorily", he smiled. "Lord Ba'al was very pleased as were some of the other Goa'ulds I served. My reputation grows – and you will help me."

"Sorry Matzo – I'm not allowed to help any Goa'ulds – it's in my contract." Jack was leaning against her and she was afraid, at any minute, he'd fall down.

"It does not matter what you say to me Tauri. You will have no choice and neither will the woman. You exist only to serve me now." He walked closer to the two humans, looking them over carefully.

"You do not look well." He muttered.

"Well, what do you expect? First your guys shoot me, then they starve us and only give us a little bit to drink. And can I tell you about the rooms? Definitely bad." Jack coughed, the struggle of keeping up his insouciant façade was exhausting.

Matsya motioned to one of his Jaffa. Oh hell, thought Sam, they're going to manhandle the Colonel some more. He really doesn't need this!

She was right. Jaffa one grabbed the Colonel and pulled him away from her. O'Neill immediately sank to the floor, held only by the grasp on his arm which kept him from falling totally flat.

"Leave him!" Matsya commanded. The Jaffa simply dropped his arm which caused the Colonel to go 'thunk' on the floor.

"Ow! You didn't have to drop me!" He lay there, on his back, watching in some trepidation as the Goa'uld walked over to him and looked down. The snakehead drew something out of his pocket and put it on his hand which he then turned toward Jack.

Screwing his eyes shut, Jack thought to himself, 'oh no, not the hand device! That thing made you feel like your brains were being sucked through your ears!'

Instantly, Jack felt a wave of ….. warmth? Hey, what the hell? He opened his eyes and realized that Matsya didn't have a hand device, he had a healing device! Hallelujah.

On second thought, Jack realized as he lay there, this was probably a bad thing. What did this guy want them for if he was willing to heal him?

Okay – now that hurts! He knew that sometimes the healing device could become painful as nerves and tissue were repaired. It was certainly better than the alternative but it wasn't particularly pleasant.

Matsya lowered his hand, finished with his healing. Jack carefully felt his side. Yeah, definitely better, but no completely healed. Too bad.

The Goa'uld then turned towards Sam and raised the healing device again. He held it on her just long enough to knit some of the torn ligaments although the joint still felt pretty sore. He stopped just short of healing her completely too.

"How come you didn't finish?' asked Jack.

"Because, I do not want you strong enough to cause trouble. My Lord Ba'al informs me that the Tauri are sneaky and must be watched."

"You told him you had us?" Uh oh, thought Jack, just what he – they needed what to have Ba'al in this.

"I simply asked him what he thought of the Tauri. He clearly does not like them. I can hardly wait to present him with my present! He will be so grateful to me and I will have Ba'al as my ally!" He actually rubbed his hands in glee.

Sam looked over at Jack, knowing that he harbored horrific memories of his time with Ba'al. She could tell he was uncomfortable with the idea. She wondered, too, what Matsya had meant about a 'present'. Surely he wasn't going to give them to Ba'al? If that was the case, why hadn't he already done so?

"We will arrive tomorrow and you will start your service. You are well enough. When we are on the planet we will make sure you do not escape." Turning to his First Prime he commanded that they be sent back to their cell.

"What about the others?" Jack asked quickly. He was worried about the women and children.

Matsya smiled. "I will look at them when we arrive. The suitable ones will be put to service, the rest will become slaves." With that he swept out of the room and Jack and Sam went back to their bare cell.

Daniel and Teal'c, along with SG3 – thankfully a fully male team – had made their way back to the planet. The blood tests had come back showing a small trace of an unknown substance but it was so minute that Janet didn't think it would be a problem. It would probably clear itself out in a day or so. She instructed them to drink lots of water and, of course, to report to her if there were any further problems.

"Like hell I'll talk to her", Daniel said to Teal'c as they walked towards the Gate Room. "I'll tell Warner if there's a problem. Him I trust."

"I too would rather deal with Dr. Warner." Teal'c nodded in agreement.

Once on the planet it was relatively easy to find what they were looking for. They spoke to Amdahl, who looked like he was in a state of extreme stress, but he gave them permission to speak with some of the women.

Interestingly enough, the men all appeared confused. They felt like they should be rejoicing – most of the women, the evil ones, were gone. Why then did they all feel so lost? It was probably the loss of their sons, they rationalized. Of course, this meant having to find replacement women. It would cost the village much.

After getting the information SG3 and the remaining half of SG1 returned to the mountain. Waiting for them was Hammond but, alongside him and to their surprise, was Jacob Carter.

They knew that the General had put out a call to the Tokra as soon as he'd found out about Jack and Sam. They were the best hope for finding their teammates. Daniel was shocked, however, at the quick response. Usually the Tokra took their sweet time. Jacob must have been present when the message was received to have made it here so quickly.

"Did you find what you were looking for Dr. Jackson, Teal'c?" Hammond asked.

"Yes Sir, we did."

"All right then. I suggest we all make our way to the Briefing Room and we can discuss it. As you see Jacob is here on behalf of the Tokra. Hopefully he can give us some information as well."

The The men all made their way up to the Briefing room and sat down. Everyone turned and looked expectantly at Daniel and Teal'c.

"So, what did you find out Doctor?" Hammond go right to the poin.

"Well, it's strange, but the first woman we spoke to said the Jaffa – or warriors as she called them – all had a fish on their foreheads."

"A fish?" Daniel could here a snort of laughter from Griff.

"Yes Sir, a fish. I was skeptical at first myself, but we interviewed a number of women separately and they all agree. A few of them drew a picture." He reached into his pocket and drew out a piece of paper with a number of very similar pictures on it.

""There could be a number of possibilities as to who this represents. There's the God Rem, an Egyptian fish god who fertilized the soil, or Hat-mehit. She was a fish-goddess. I know lots of other cultures have fish deities. My first guess would be one of the Egyptian gods but I could be wrong."

"Matsya", Selmak's voice suddenly broke into the silence left after Daniel was finished.

"What?" asked Daniel.

"Matsya, the Hindu God. He's represented by a fish. He's kind of a Noah figure in the Hindu religion. He was responsible for saving life and repopulating the world after a great flood. He is also someone the Tokra have tried to get rid of for many years"

Suddenly, without warning, Jacobs voice replaced that of Selmak. "Tried and failed. That doesn't sound good at all."

"Are we sure this tattoo belongs to this Goa'uld?"

Selmak again spoke, "That is the last news we had. Matsya has always been a minor Goa'uld, pretty much ignored by the System Lords but in the last couple of years we have heard his name mentioned numerous times."

"What does he do?" asked Daniel with excitement.

"That is the problem. We don't know. We know that he is increasing in importance but not what he is doing. We know he rendezvous' with various Systems Lords, every few months. We'll have to see what we can find."

"Do you have any idea where he might have his base of operations?" Teal'c asked seriously.

"No", groaned Jacob. "We don't even know that. But now that we have some incentive I'm going to work hard to find out." He stood up and looked at the men around the table.

"We'll find them, don't worry. I'll let you know what I come up with and I'd appreciate the same."

"Of course Jacob", answered Hammond. "You we can trust!" Shaking the man's hand, Hammond said goodbye and watched as Jacob returned through the gate. The General couldn't imagine how hard it must be to keep going when your child has been kidnapped.

After the iris had closed, he looked to his side and saw that Daniel and Teal'c were both standing there, deep concentration etched in their faces. If he hadn't been sure he was wrong, he would have thought that Jackson was in a foul mood. His expression looked like someone who'd just swallowed a bit drink of rotten milk!

"You two had best go and get some rest. You'll feel fresher in the morning." He turned and walked back into his office.

"You wanna come stay at my place Teal'c? There aren't any women there."

"I do indeed Daniel. Thank you. I will retrieve my things."

"I'll be waiting."


	5. Servants of the Gods

**_Warning - Jack Whump ahead (surprise, surprise). From here on in the story may start to get a little more 'adult' oriented although I'll try and keep it T rated. For those of you who haven't already guessed - this story is kind of based on one of the Stargate novels. The idea was from is (sorry, I can't remember the title) but I don't have to stay in canon (ha, ha, ha) so ...! Please, I need reviews - let me know what you think. I really try hard to keep updating daily for the sake of my readers - and partly because I love the feedback (no blackmail but bribery maybe?). Thanks!_**

They both sat against a wall of their tiny cell, not saying much except the odd comment to pass the time. They had discussed Matsya's words and what they could mean, deciding that his plan must be to make them hosts. The thought made Jack sick – already been there, done that two times too many. Sam was feeling pretty awful as well.

He tried to get his mind off what was coming and instead thought about how much he missed being able to sit close to Sam. They were both much better now, so there really wasn't any need, but it had been comforting. Only as friends, of course, he cautioned himself. That's all she was now and he was determined to stick with it.

Sam was thinking much the same thing, along with a good dose of guilt. She should be thinking about Pete and how much she missed him, instead she kept remembering leaning up against Jack's firm chest, or sitting with his head in her lap. Every time she thought about cuddling up with Pete her mind flipped back to the feel and smell of Jack up close. She really had to stop this. Jack would feel terrible if he knew she was fantasizing about him when he simply thought of her as a friend.

"How you feeling Sir?", she asked, more to break the silence than because she was worried. He looked much better than he had.

"Fine Major. And before you go all 'motherish' on me, I really am fine. Matzo healed the wound almost completely and my fever is better. My side's just a little sore now but that'll heal quickly."

"I'm glad. I was kinda worried there."

"Yeah – you think too much and you worry too much Major. Things will work out."

"Do you really think so? I don't see what we can do if they want to turn us into hosts."

"Oh ye of little faith. We've been in lots of impossible situations before and we've found a way out. We will this time too."

"You've never thought that maybe one day our luck will run out? That maybe we won't be able to find ourselves a way out of a nasty situation?"

"I've already been there Carter." He paused and then continued, "I'm just hoping the universe figures I've paid my dues." As he was speaking O'Neill dropped his head back, resting it against the wall and closed his eyes. Sam didn't know what to say, his words were just too sad so she stayed quiet.

He must have realized that his words were a conversation stopper so he opened his eyes and sat forward. "Come on Major. Don't give up hope. That's about all we have right now."

She nodded and gave a little smile. Yes, she had to have hope, no matter how difficult it was.

It was another day spent sitting, resting and talking before they finally arrived at their destination. They'd been brought another meager meal but this time they were provided with a large pitcher of water. It still wasn't enough but it went a long way to helping satisfy their incredible thirst.

Jack still felt weak although he figured that was as much from lack of food as from his wound. A couple of good meals and he should be feeling back up to par.

They could tell the engines had stopped and that they had landed but it was another half hour or so before someone came to get them. This time there were four Jaffa, all carrying weapons. They told the prisoners to stand and then surrounded them as they exited the cell. They were taking no chances with the Tauri prisoners. Their Lord had warned them, on pain of death, that these prisoners were to be guarded carefully.

As Jack and Sam stumbled out of the Al'kesh, stiff from their confinement, they took a look around. They were in a large field, surrounded by trees. Other than that they couldn't tell much about the planet. They did notice, off to one side, the large group of women and children who had been captured with them.

"They look awful Sir", Sam whispered.

"Yeah, conditions must have gotten pretty bad. We were lucky to be out of there although I feel bad we couldn't help them."

The guards rounded up the women and children and forced them to walk forward, away from the Alkesh and towards the trees. A few minutes later Jack and Sam were also prodded forward.

"I really hate that. Don't you think, just once, they could _**ask**_ us to move?"

"That would be less intimidating Sir. I think they want to scare us."

"Yeah, well just looking at them is pretty scary on its own, they don't need to push us too."

They stopped talking then, trying to note their surroundings and the direction they were heading. They could tell there was a well worn path so this was clearly a regular trip.

It took them about twenty minutes before they arrived at a compound. There were a number of rectangular buildings which had the appearance of barracks surrounded by a high fence. Over to the right side, a little separate from the main buildings, was what looked like a large house. It had a separate fence around it and a number of guards walking its perimeter.

"Must be the Goa'ulds' house." Jack murmured.

Inside the main compound, but also separated from the other buildings was a slightly smaller building with tiny windows high up in the walls. It too had separate guards out front. It also appeared as if there was a walled off part in the back. What was behind the wall they couldn't tell.

As they were herded through the gates Jack and Sam could see a few people milling about. There were mostly women although a few men were present. They were all dressed in the same homespun type garments, with simple tunics and loose pants. They all looked fearful and many of them had bruises and scrapes or cuts on various parts of their bodies. They tried to walk as far from the guards as they could.

"Doesn't look like too nice a place Sir." Sam commented quietly. Just then the guards forced all the women and children to move over to the front of what was some kind of platform. They stood there, shivering and crying, terrified as to what was happening.

Finally, Matsya arrived and stepped up on the dais, surrounded by his First Prime and elite guards.

"Begin", the Goa'uld instructed.

Tar'buz nodded to some of the guards who proceeded to move into the crowd of women and grab them one by one and bring them forward.

Matsya would look at each one of the women and the children – some he would glance at quickly and wave them away, others he spent more time considering. A few were separated and held over to one side of the dais. The whole operation took close to an hour and, by the time he was done five women had been pulled from the crowd. The rest were kept together.

"Take them away." He instructed. A number of Jaffa surrounded the women and led them to one of the large buildings, ushering them through the doors. Once they were gone, Matsya turned and looked at the remaining women and then over to Jack and Sam.

"Take the women. The man – take him to D'jindra. He must not escape." With those final words he stood and made his way towards his house. Probably tired after such a long day's work, thought Jack sarcastically.

Two of the guards approached the Colonel and tried to grab him. He fought back, knowing it was hopeless, especially in his weakened state, but figured he might as well try. Sometimes you could get lucky.

Obviously not today, he thought as he curled up in pain on the ground. The Jaffa had made quick work of him, jabbing him fiercely in the gut with a staff weapon.

"Sir!" Sam called as she was dragged away with the other women.

"Watch for an opportunity Sam", he called back, "and if it comes, take it. Better that at least one of us makes it." The last he saw of her was as she was being dragged into the solitary building with the small windows.

The two Jaffa who were standing over him each grabbed an arm and lifted him. Rather than letting him walk, they dragged him to a small building over in one corner. This must be Gindra, he thought. Just hope it's not something bad!

Sam was taken, with the other women, into a large room. The Jaffa turned and left, locking the door behind them.

Oh great, another room, more sitting around waiting! She just hoped the Colonel was going to be okay.

A few minutes later a group of young women entered from behind a panel in one side of the room. She hadn't seen it, she realized. She needed to start being more observant.

Each of the new women walked up to one of the prisoners and began to speak.

"You will come with me." Sam's 'woman' asked. She noticed that the young woman spoke softly, kindly. At least that was good.

"Why? Where are we going?"

"We are going to prepare you. You must be bathed and made ready."

"Okay" (actually, the bathing part sounded kind of nice. She felt pretty stinky after being in the same clothes for days - the 'preparing' part, not so nice). "What are we being made ready _for_?"

The woman looked shocked but answered, "Ready to serve our Lord. You are very lucky – you have been chosen – rather than being made a slave."

"All right. But please, chosen for what? What purpose?"

Again the woman looked shocked. "Why to be maa'taa - mother to a God. Did you not know? It is a great honor and only a few are chosen."

"What!" Sam answered. This time it was she who was shocked. "Mother to a God? What do you mean?" She was very afraid that she had an inkling as to what that entailed.

"When your children are old enough they will be taken and made vessels for the Gods."

"But I don't have any children."

"No", the woman laughed. "Of course not. That is why you are here. This is the place where your children will be conceived. When they are weaned they are then taken and looked after by servants of our Lord who train them in what their destiny is to be. At that time you will be honored to bear another until you can no longer."

Sam was sick, with shock and fear. This was a Goa'uld 'host making' facility. God – this was actually worse than the thought of being made a host herself.

"You are very beautiful. I see why Lord Matsya wanted you. It is a pity you are not younger – you would have been able to bear more children. But your hair and eyes are very unusual so your stock will be valuable. I understand that Lord Ba'al has already agreed to purchase your offspring for his own. You should be very honored. Lord Ba'al is a powerful Lord. I hear that Lord Matsya is very happy about this. It means you will be treated well."

"Oh God", she groaned, hiding her head in her hands. Her child turned over to Ba'al? Things couldn't be worse."

"Come, we must prepare you." The woman stood and motioned with her hands. Sam had a brief moment wondering if she should try fighting her way out although she didn't want to hurt the woman. And anyway, the doors were locked and she had nothing for a weapon. She decided to follow and see more of the building before she tried anything.

They walked through the panel and into another room. This room had what looked like a hot pool and tables around the sides. Some of the women were in the pool and were being helped to bathe by their attendants.

It's like some kind of warped harem, she thought. She turned to her woman – okay she had to stop calling her that.

"What's your name?" she asked.

"I am Solyara, my job is to serve you."

"How long have you been here Solyara?"

"Since I was eight years old. My mother gave me into the service of our Lord. I am privileged to help the mothers of our gods. One day soon I hope to be maa'taa as well and serve my Lord that way." She looked proud at that. Looking at her Sam realized that Solyara was young and quite pretty. She couldn't have been more than 16 or 17.

Sam submersed herself in the water and indicated that she would prefer to bathe herself. The idea of essentially a slave waiting on her was uncomfortable. As she washed herself she thought more about what Solyara had told her. She was very frightened and was afraid she had rape to look forward to – unless they used some means of artificial insemination. If it got to that point, and they couldn't escape, she at least hoped for that as the lesser of two evils.

When she was finished Solyara motioned for her to lie on one of the tables. Fortunately, she put a screen around it. She then got out what looked like some kind of razor.

"What's that for?" Sam asked apprehensively.

"I am sorry. It is to shave you. Your body must be soft and sweet smelling for the Mai'thun."

"No – no way." Sam sat up and jumped off the table.

"I am sorry. If you do not let me I will have to call the guards. They will then do it – and you do not want that."

Looking at Solyara she felt like bursting into tears. Off all the things she'd been through in her years on SG1 this was one of the most terrifying. Trembling she sat back down on the table. Taking a deep breath, she lay back down and closed her eyes. As tears began to fall on her face she prayed that they could find a way out, and soon.

When they arrived at the small building the Jaffa pushed O'Neill in through the door. In the room was a small, wizened man. He was no guard or Jaffa – he must be a slave, thought the Colonel. Then the man lifted his head and Jack stepped back - the look of malevolence shining from the man's eyes was intense. Whoever he was, he was one scary dude!

"Why have you brought this one to me?" his voice sounded rough, like tires crunching on gravel. He spoke softly but the words sent a shiver down Jack's spine. He glanced at the Jaffa and saw that they too were affected. They didn't like this man either.

"My Lord Matsya bid us bring him to you, D'jindra. He is worried he will escape and he is very valuable."

"Is he a slave?" the man asked, walking up to Jack and grabbing his face. The Colonel attempted to pull away but the Jaffa held his arms and forced him to stay still.

"No, he is Devdaso."

"Really? Well then, we must do something special. Put him on the table and I will think."

The guards forced Jack to a wooden table in one corner of the room. Beside it sat a smaller table with a number of unidentifiable instruments. This was really not looking good.

He again tried to fight his way out of the situation. This time it wasn't the guards who stopped him, however. The little gnome of a man picked up some kind of weapon and pointed it at Jack. It let out a current, which immediately caused him to convulse in pain. The fact that it also hit one of his guards didn't seem to faze anyone. The other Jaffa simply grabbed him and threw him on the table. Before he had a chance to recover he found his hands and feet tied down. The man then took straps that were hanging down in the middle of the table and attached them around his waist. He was very effectively trapped.

"I see why my Lord was concerned. This one is a fighter. It also explains why he was chosen as Devdaso. Well, my Lord Matsya will be pleased. I will make sure he doesn't escape." He looked down at Jack and grinned – one of the most evil expressions he'd ever seen.

"And I will enjoy doing it." He said, stroking Jack's cheek. He then reached over and took something, Jack couldn't tell what, only that it looked like a piece of leather.

"You will open your mouth." He instructed. In answer Jack clenched his teeth and held his lips pressed together.

The man sighed. "You seem to think you can resist me. You must learn that that will not work." He picked up another tool, which simply looked like a small disk. He placed it on O'Neill's stomach and touched something on it.

Fire shot through him, feeling like it was burning him from the inside out. It reminded him of Ba'al's acid – but worse. At first he gasped, then he began to scream. As his mouth opened the evil SOB stuck a hard gag into his mouth and put the leather hood over his head and face. He fastened the buckles and Jack was now gagged and blindfolded.

"There", D'jindra sighed in pleasure. He left the disk on for a few more seconds watching as Jack practically arched off the table in agony, as least as much as possible with the straps holding him down. He switched it off and spoke.

"You see – to resist me is not good. But soon you will learn. Now, what is the best thing to use?" He looked down at the little table, picking up items and then discarding them as if they were not quite right.

"Ah, this is good." Jack tensed, knowing something bad was coming. The inability to see made it much, much worse.

A hand touched his chest and he jerked in reaction. Then the hand, apparently that of D'jindra, grabbed the top of his shirt and pulled, ripping it completely down the front. The hand then returned, softly caressing his chest. Jack could feel the bile rising in his throat and had to stop a whimper from escaping.

The man continued to caress him and Jack swore that this was worse than any pain. At least that was what he thought until Matsya's master torturer moved on to his next bit of fun and games.

Jack could hear some clattering from the tray and then felt something cold on his chest. D'jindra held something against his left nipple and then Jack heard a 'click'. At first he felt nothing, then he felt the pain streaking through his chest. It was so bad he felt his heart miss a beat. He could not breath and could not scream, the gag holding everything back. This time, however, he did whimper. Small sounds of extreme distress coming from his throat. He could feel the tears leak from his eyes and seep under the leather of the mask.

The pain went on and on without end. He threw his head from side to side, trying anything to make it stop. If he'd been able to he would have begged.

Finally, the pain began to subside although it still burned. He felt some tugging and then a brief jolt. He couldn't figure out what was happening, just that it was awful.

Next, he felt the same coldness on the right side. No, no, no, he begged, silently to himself. Please don't. He again turned his head, shaking it wildly, knowing that it wouldn't matter.

The pain sliced through him again – this time even worse. He could feel the tears and the sweat pour out of him. He heard the sound of a cat mewling somewhere close. It took him a minute to realize the sound was coming from him.

"There, all done." Jack felt more of the tugging and another jolt. The pain finally stopped although he now felt sick. He could begin to feel himself heave – something he realized could be deadly with the gag in place. He tried, he really did, but he couldn't stop himself. He felt the bile rise in his throat and begin to seep into his nasal cavity. It began to burn, but even worse, he could not breathe. He tried writhing but being bound made it impossible. He was suffocating in his own vomit.

He was almost blacking out from lack of air when the gag was pulled out of his mouth and his arms and chest were released from the ropes. Someone lifted him to a sitting position until he finished heaving and was able to breath

He took in sobbing breaths, past the foul taste in his mouth. His nose was dripping with the liquid that had been pushed up through his sinuses. God – what was this about? Before he had time to question any more he was forced back down and again tied to the table.

"Almost done Devdaso. You will not leave us now." His head was held by someone, the Jaffa he supposed, and something was forced in his mouth. This time it wasn't the gag but something metal. D'jindra put his fingers in and pushed the device onto his back, lower molars. Removing his hands he began to do something that caused the device to pry apart his jaws. The man kept it up until Jack thought his jaws would break.

His mouth held wide open, D'jindra took some kind of tube and began to push it down his throat. He gagged but it continued. Finally the man stopped and Jack felt the tube moving. He wished he could tell what was going on.

He then felt a sharp pain in his stomach as if something had stabbed him, but from inside.

"Good. It is in place." D'jindra laughed. Jack could feel the tube being pulled from his throat and the metal clamp was removed from his mouth. His jaw would be sore for days after this.

"You are done Devdaso." He reached down and removed the blindfold. Jack blinked, his eyes feeling gritty. It took him a second to refocus and get used to the light in the room.

"Untie him", he spoke to the Jaffa. The two came up and released the ropes and the strap around his chest. Jack sat up and swung his legs over the side. Only then did he look down at his chest.

"Shit!" he groaned. The sadist had threaded two metal rings under his nipples. He couldn't even see a seam in the metal. A small chain ran from one loop to the other and hanging from the middle of the chain was a small, but heavy, metallic sphere with strange markings on it. He wished, for a moment, that Daniel was here in order to translate them.

"There you see", D'jindra spoke softly. "It is very simple, very elegant. But now you cannot ever leave. If you do it will activate. Let me show you what will happen."

"No, no. That's okay. I believe you", Jack choked out. He was finding it hard to even speak after his experience.

"Oh yes, just a quick demonstration. You see, these here", he reached out and touched one of the loops, "act as conductors. The device has been attached to your stomach wall where it cannot be dislodged without surgery. Once activated the conductors send a signal to the device. At first it will cause intense pain, like" he held a small rod to the loop and touched it, "that".

"God!" Jack screamed and pulled away. The Jaffa guard seized him and held him tightly. Fortunately the little man didn't hold it on too long.

"You can not let it be on for too long", he explained, "or it will cause permanent damage. As long as you stay in the compound and do not try to leave, you will be fine. Unless, of course, you disobey and then the guards have instructions to activate it. You see", he continued, holding up a small disc, "it can also be turned on from a distance." Flicking a small switch Jack jerked back, the pain slicing through him.

"If you try and escape this will eventually eat out your stomach and kill you. It's a very ingenious device if I do say so. Of course, it's also very attractive for a Devdaso." He laughed again, reaching out and pulling on the chain.

Jack tried to pull away but that simply pulled the chain tight - which hurt, although certainly not as badly as when it was activated. God, he had pierced nipples, he realized. Unless he could get these things out he'd be teased unmercifully when he got back. He knew it was wishful thinking at this point, but her refused to give up hope.

In the meantime, he was getting really curious about what exactly was going on, although in the back of his mind he was starting to get an idea of what this might be about. He figured now was as good a time as any to find out.

"All right – now that you've had some fun", he said bitingly, "someone please tell me what the hell a 'Devdaso" is?" He turned and looked at his tormentor who looked quite pleased at the question.

"You do not know?"

"Wouldn't have asked if I did", he answered sarcastically.

"Oh, it is a position of much honor – and much pleasure – as long as you obey. It means 'servant of the Gods'. You are here to serve them and to produce hosts for them."

"Produce? How do I do that exactly?" God, he hoped it wasn't what he was thinking.

"You have reached your age and you do not know? You Tauri must be very slow. How do you propagate your own species? Do you know how to do that?" He grinned.

"Are you telling me you want me to … ah … propagate?"

"Yes of course. You are to impregnate the woman and your children will be given to the Gods. It is a great honor", he repeated with an evil smile. He knew this would not be appreciated as an 'honor' by the Tauri.

"When you say woman you mean ….?"

"The woman that was brought with you. My Lord Matsya has made a deal with my Lord Ba'al. He will buy your offspring. I understand that they will be very valuable. With your looks, yours and the woman's, and the fact that you are Tauri – oh yes, your children will be worth a lot. My Lord also informs me that you both have Naquada in your blood. That makes it even more interesting and will make for valuable offspring." He turned back to his 'implements and began to tidy them. Without turning around he spoke again.

"Take him to the temple. It is now time. The woman will be prepared and then he can begin to serve his god."

The next morning Daniel and Teal'c returned to the SGC. They both felt much better, sure that it was because they had spent the entire time without seeing any women. They'd tried to watch a movie but realized that wouldn't work so instead they talked about Jack and where he could possibly be.

When they arrived they found both the General and Jacob waiting. Unfortunately, Janet was there as well. They'd have to be very careful.

"Jacob, you're back already. That was quick." Daniel spoke directly to the Tokra.

"Yes, well it didn't take me long to find the information I needed. It seems as though there is a lot of concern about Matsya these days since he's been more active lately. It turns out he's been traveling to non-Goa'uld worlds and kidnapping local people, just like he did on the planet you were on with Jack and Sam."

"Any ideas as to why?"

"The council thinks he may be collecting slaves for the System Lords. The fact that he meets regularly with them points to some kind of business dealings. The thing that is so worrying is that some of our operatives are hearing that he's becoming a power in his own right. He seems like more than just a slave trader – those are pretty much a dime a dozen." Selmak then spoke.

"We also know that he recently met with Ba'al. We have an agent serving in Ba'al's forces who told us of a meeting between the two."

"Was this before or after he took O'Neill", Daniel looked up as the others glanced at him in surprise, "and Sam of course", he quickly added. He caught a strange glance from Frasier which concerned him. She might be catching on, he thought.

"No", answered Jacob. "It was after. I know, I was scared too", this as he saw the worried glances thrown his way. "But the operative said that Ba'al didn't actually get any prisoners or slaves from Matsya. A lot was discussed between them – what no one knows, but he's pretty sure Ba'al didn't get Jack or Sam."

"At least that's good news", interjected Hammond. "Any ideas from the Tokra where this Matsya may have gone?"

"No. It seems he keeps his location pretty well hidden from everyone. If he has something special going on he wouldn't want any of the System Lords to find out where he's hiding. We did find out one good piece of information, though."

"What was it?" Hammond asked.

"One of Ba'al's servants overheard Matsya's Jaffa talking about a rendezvous with another System Lord – they think it may have been with Nirti. If we can't locate Matsya we can try and find out where this rendezvous is to take place and arrange to be there. That way we could try and locate Matsya's home base."

"When is this meeting?" asked the General.

"That's the bad part. It's not for another few months."

"We can't leave the Colonel and Sam that long, Sir. Anything could happen to them."

"I know Doctor, I know. This may be our only choice though, unless we can somehow find them before that." He turned back to Jacob. "Are the Tokra doing anything in the meantime to find this Goa'uld?"

"We have all of our operatives on notice. We will also keep our eyes and ears open. Other than that there's not a lot we can do. I don't like it any more than you do Dr. Frasier. It's my little girl out there, remember? But we'll just have to hold on. If they've been made slaves it'll be rough but I don't think they'll try and kill them. The good news is that Matsya may be out of the loop about the Tauri. It seems that if he'd known who he had he would have bargained with Ba'al for them."

"Yeah, Ba'al would have been happy all right." Daniel turned to the General. "What about us Sir? Are we going to look for them?"

"Like Jacob I wouldn't even know where to start Dr. Jackson. I will inform all the teams and they can keep a look out as well. When any teams make contact on various planets they can ask but I expect it'll be a long shot."

"What about Daniel Jackson and myself General? We would like to continue to go on missions. Maybe we can discover something."

"Yes, I think that's a good idea. It'll keep you from worrying too much as well. I was thinking I'd put you with SG 9 – they could use a linguist."

SG9 had Lieutenant Harris on it – a woman. Daniel looked at the General.

"Uh Sir, Teal'c and I were thinking maybe Ferretti's team. We've worked well with him in the past and I understand Captain Wang is planning a leave of absence soon. They'll be short handed."

The General considered for a moment. "Okay Dr. Jackson, that will be fine. Ferretti will be glad to have you. You're right about the Captain. His wife's about ready to have a baby and he's requested some time off as she has no family to help her. Okay folks, I guess that's all for now. As soon as anyone hears anything we'll meet again. In the meantime we keep our eyes and ears open and our fingers crossed." He stood up and dismissed everyone. He and Jacob walked back into his office and the others headed out of the Briefing room.

"Would you like to grab a coffee, Daniel, Teal'c?" Janet asked as she prepared to leave. "I don't know about you but I could use something right now. This has been pretty upsetting."

Teal'c looked at the Doctor and clenched his teeth. Daniel didn't quite know what to say. Finally, realizing that this might fit in with their plan to discover what was going on, Daniel turned to Janet and smiled.

"We'd love to Janet. Lead on." The two men followed the petite doctor down to the Commissary where they hoped to discover the plot that had resulted in the kidnapping of Colonel O'Neill. With any luck, they'd get him back soon.


	6. Drifting

Frasier grabbed a cup of coffee and made her way to the table where Daniel and Teal'c were seated. She was a little surprised to see them sitting side by side rather than across from each other. It wasn't like most men to sit like that – usually one of them would have sat beside her.

Janet was worried. Ever since the guys had returned from their last mission they'd been a little 'off'. She couldn't quite explain it. They seemed to say and do the right things but there was a nervousness about them that confused her. It was just not like them – especially not like Teal'c who was usually Mr. Calm, Cool and Collected.

"So, how are you both doing?", she asked as she sat down. She poured some milk and sugar in her coffee and so missed the look that passed between the two men.

"We are fine, Dr. Frasier", Teal'c answered. See, there it is again, she thought. He just didn't sound right. For all his seriousness and seeming lack of outward emotion Teal'c had an essential warmth about him – at least around his friends. Today, that was missing.

"And how about you Daniel? Any side effects from the ceremony?"

"No, I'm fine too", he answered harshly. "So Janet, what have you been up to … ur lately?" Daniel was trying so hard to sound normal but it was difficult. He could feel his spine tingling with distaste.

"Oh, you know – working hard, being mom to a teenage girl – same old, same old." She was sure she saw Teal'c shudder when she referred to Cassie. What the hell was going on.

"Have either of you had any other symptoms since you've returned? Any headaches, nausea, dizziness?"

"We told you we were fine Janet. What part of that didn't you get? Typical **woman.**" Daniel practically shouted.

"Okay, that's enough!" she stood up. "The two of you will report to the Infirmary immediately and get checked out. There is something definitely going on here."

Teal'c stood up, very slowly and glared at Janet. "You will not force us to go with you. We are fine and you will not drug us or brainwash us!"

Janet looked at him in shock. She then saw Daniel stand as well.

"Teal'c is right. We know what you're doing Janet – you and Sam and the others. We know now. You can no longer pull the wool over our eyes." The two men turned and walked towards the door.

"And don't try and stop us!" As soon as they'd left the Commissary Janet ran to the security intercom. Hitting it she called security to have them pick up Daniel and Teal'c

"And be careful", she cautioned. "I believe they may be dangerous. And whatever you do, don't send any female security guards!"

She quickly exited the room and ran to the General's office. She had to warn him.

Unfortunately, by the time she arrived she could see that the two men had gotten there first. What were they doing, she panicked? God, she hoped they weren't trying to hurt the General.

Two security guards walked up the stairs leading to the General's office. She motioned for them to be silent and mouthed for them to hide. She wanted to find out what was happening.

As she approached the door she heard the General shout a loud, "WHAT! You're crazy Dr. Jackson. There's no evidence of that at all. Where are you getting this from?"

On those words Janet knocked and quickly opened the door. "General!"

"Dr Frasier. What are you doing here?"

"Get her out General. She's got you brainwashed. She's in it with Sam."

"That's why I'm here Sir. Something's the matter with Dr. Jackson and with Teal'c. I've noticed that ever since they returned from the last mission they've been acting strangely."

"Yes, I noticed something was wrong as well. Do you know what it is?"

"General – please, don't believe her", Daniel begged. "The women, it's them. They've done something to all the men. Don't you see Sir, they're evil!"

"Who are 'evil' son? Who are you talking about?"

"The women. The women are evil."

"It is true General Hammond. The women are evil."

"Yes, I got that. But _**what**_ women?"

"_**All**_ women Sir. All the women are bad."

"Do you mean all the women on this base? Do you think they've come under some kind of brainwashing or alien influence?" He too remembered Hathor. It definitely wasn't one of his shining moments in command.

"No General Hammond. Daniel Jackson is telling you that all women are evil. They were created evil and will destroy our world unless we destroy them first."

"Okaaay", the General glanced over at Janet who gave a quick jerk of her head towards the door. He must have understood because he nodded – rubbing his chin at the same time to make it look like he was simply thinking.

"So, what do you think we should do?" he asked the two men.

"Arrest them, Sir. Get them all into security cells. Then we can interrogate them to find out where they've hidden Jack. It was Sam – she was behind it General. She was responsible for this."

"I think that's a good idea Dr. Jackson. I'll just call security and have them take Dr. Frasier." He reached down to pick up the phone when Teal'c's hand reached out and grabbed his wrist.

"I do not think so General", the Jaffa answered, his eyes almost closed and his nostrils flared. He looked like someone ready to fight. "I believe the General is also tricking us Daniel Jackson. He clearly is on the side of the women."

"Damn. What are we going to do? I figured this might happen."

"Maybe we should take him to the planet and have him go through the ceremony. Then he will see clearly."

"Yeah, that might be an idea." He turned to the General. "We're going to go back and then you'll understand Sir. What about her?" He motioned towards Janet.

"Maybe we should kill her." Teal'c answered calmly. "That way she will not be able to warn the others."

"Hmmm. That may be the only way Teal'c. Did you bring your zat?"

"No, I do not generally carry a weapon when in the SGC. That must change until all the women are gone."

"Yes, unfortunately I agree." He turned sharply towards the Doctor. "You see Janet? You see? This is what you're making us do. This is what we've become because of you women. I can hardly wait until you're gone." He walked over to the door and turned back quickly.

"Teal'c, you watch them carefully. I'm gonna go get some weapons and I'll be right back. We'll start with Frasier and go from there. Then we'll have to find a way to get the men to the planet."

"I will do as you say Daniel."

Daniel walked out the door, closing it behind him. He hoped Walter wasn't around anywhere as he might have trouble convincing the little sargeant.

He walked a short way down the hall when suddenly, two security guards popped out from behind a doorway, their guns held on him.

"Stop Dr. Jackson. Don't move."

Daniel groaned in frustration – he'd been so close. "Come on guys, it's me. Why are you pointing your guns at me?"

The security guards didn't blink. They'd been well trained to expect all sorts of weird situations in the SGC. They knew they'd simply have to follow instructions. If it was a mistake then so be it – they couldn't be disciplined for doing what they'd been ordered to do.

"Come on Sir. Don't make it difficult. You're to come with us." The tall SF motioned with his gun, instructing Daniel to move ahead. As he did so, the archaeologist/scientist turned and, using one of the moves Teal'c had taught him, downed the man in one easy motion. He then turned to the other SF but before he had the chance to follow through he was hit with a zat blast.

Damn!

Teal'c waited patiently in the General's office, keeping his eye on both prisoners but especially on Janet. Who knew what she had with her. The General was simply leaning up against his desk, waiting.

"Teal'c, you've got to know this isn't true. Something's wrong with you and Daniel. You picked up some kind of virus or something – it's making you act strangely."

"It is not I who am acting strangely General. It is you and the other men of the SGC. The women have deceived you."

"What about O'Neill? Was he deceived as well?"

"Unfortunately yes. They took him before he had a chance to be deprogrammed."

Janet and Hammond looked at each other, relieved. At least they wouldn't have to worry about Jack coming back hating women – as long as he did come back.

Frasier realized, as she glanced at the General, that he was trying to communicate something else to her. At first she couldn't figure out what the small movement of his hand, the one on the side away from Teal'c, meant. She then saw him trying to point to his desk. Okay, Sir got it. She coughed to let him know.

"So Teal'c, you figured out that the women are all working together in a plot did you?" she asked casually, trying to get his attention focused solely on her. "That was pretty good of you. We thought you men were all too clueless to figure it out. Sam and I used to laugh about it all the time. Yeah, the great men of the SGC – all deceived by a bunch of women."

"You will not speak, woman!" Teal'c walked closer to her. She backed up pulling him away from the General. Although in truth, she was also frightened. It wouldn't take much for him to kill her with his bare hands. In fact, she wondered why he hadn't thought of that already.

"Why not Teal'c", she pushed. "Afraid that I might 'brainwash' you again? It was so easy the first time. Maybe we should try it again."

"YOU WILL NOT SPEAK!" he roared, advancing on her. His eyes were unfocused and his hands shook. She backed away quickly, knowing that her life truly was in danger.

"Stop right there Teal'c or I'll have to shoot." Thank God. She almost collapsed in relief upon hearing the General's voice. Except Teal'c kept coming for her.

"Uh General?" she croaked.

"TEAL'C! STOP!" The Jaffa, the friend who had always been there for them, the man who had carried Cassie on his shoulders and had even played Barbies with her reached out and grasped her around the throat. Just as he started to squeeze she heard a shot ring out. Teal'c's eyes grew big and in that moment she swore he had come back to them. Just as quickly those same eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed.

Janet immediately got down and checked his pulse. It was there, but extremely weak.

The door burst open and a number of SF's swarmed the room.

"At ease men. Everything's fine. Airman, call the Infirmary and have them send up a med team right away." He spoke quickly to one of the SF's.

"Dr. Jackson is –"

"We've got him Sir. He's in a holding cell."

"Good work men. Dr. Frasier, how is he." Hammond walked over and looked down at Teal'c, the concern and guilt obvious on his face.

"It's a serious wound Sir but hopefully Junior will take care of it." She looked up at her commanding officer. "Don't worry – he's strong. You did the right thing. I think he would have snapped my neck."

He nodded at her. He knew she was right – it somehow didn't make him feel much better.

The Med team arrived and quickly wisked Teal'c off to the Infirmary. He decided to go visit Dr. Jackson and see if they could get to the bottom of this. This was all they needed on top of Jack and Sam missing. God, some days he wished he could stay in bed.

The guards led Jack back out of the small building and towards the one where they had taken Sam. He felt sick – not because of what he'd just been through – but out of fear for what was ahead.

There was no way he would ever do what they wanted but was worried about the consequences of his refusal. He knew things looked back for both him and Sam. He prayed to God she was okay. The idea of her 'being prepared' made him shiver.

Speaking of which ….. He no longer had a shirt and it was cold. More than that, however, the entire world could see the damned – rings and chain. He felt totally humiliated. He hoped he'd be given some clothes, and soon.

They arrived at the building and he was shoved through the door (again!). He entered a large room with no one in it. Okay, this was strange. Just then a panel opened at the back and out walked two – men? At least he thought they were men although he couldn't quite tell. They were either feminine men or masculine women! They walked up to the guards.

"Is this the Devdaso?" The shorter of the two – uh guys – asked.

"Yes. This is he."

"I see he has been marked. That is good – he looks very pleasing."

Oh boy, this was really creepy, he thought. The other guy – the one who wore his black hair in two long braids was staring at his chest. He crossed his arms over it, hiding the evidence.

Heidi (he might as well call them something) laughed. "We will take him now. Did D'jindra give you the disk?"

"Yes", the guard handed him the small control device. They obviously realized they had to control him somehow.

"We will take him now. You may leave." The two guards actually bowed and turned and left. Who were these guys, Jack wondered.

As if they had heard him Short Boy turned and spoke.

"We are priests in the service of our Lord. We see to the Devdasos. We will make sure that you fulfill your duty."

"Hmmm –nope, don't think so." Jack answered. Heidi calmly reached down and touched the disk. Of course Jack immediately fell to the floor in agony.

It only lasted a few seconds but it left him weak and breathless. As he lay there he said to himself, why oh why Jack can't you ever learn to shut the hell up!

"You will stand now." Looking extremely pissed he rolled to his knees and then got to his feet. No point getting zapped again at this point.

"Now you will come with us." One walked in front, the one with the disk a few feet behind. They lead him through the panel into a room with a large bath and tables around the room.

"You will bathe." They pointed to the water. Okay – might as well. He was feeling pretty awful, especially after throwing up. He stripped the rest of his clothes and walked into the water. He turned around and caught the two priests eyeing him closely.

Shit, he thought – this was extremely uncomfortable. If he wasn't mistaken these two were leering at him. He submerged himself quickly in the water and washed as unobtrusively as possible. He had trouble with his chest as it was still very tender. Every time he looked at it he found himself getting angry.

"You may get out now."

"Okay – you got a towel? I'm a little chilly."

One of the two Bobsy twins walked over and picked up a fluffy white towel. He unfolded it and stood there waiting."

"Uh you can just toss it on the bed there. I'll get it. Been drying myself since I was a kid."

But the man – Short Boy – stood with the towel. "You will come out now."

"Okay, okay" he answered as he saw Heidi lift the disk. "I'm comin'."

He stepped out, hands strategically placed and walked to the guy with the towel. He reached out (with one hand, the other left in place) to grab the towel but Short Boy stepped back.

"Turn around", he instructed. Jack looked at him for a moment but saw the determination in his eyes so decided to go along with it. God – this was getting worse every minute. He found that he was really shaky with everything that was happening.

He turned and stood with his eyes closed, waiting for something else awful to happen. As it was the priest simply walked up to him and wrapped him in the towel and then stepped back.

"Dry yourself."

"Okay, okay that's –" but this time he stopped himself. Okay, discretion Jack, discretion.

He quickly dried himself. When he was done he wrapped the towel around his body again. Normally, being a typical guy, he would have simply wrapped it around his waist. However, with the rings and the two creepy guys he thought it better to cover up as much as possible.

"You will take off the towel and lie down on the bed." He was instructed.

Okay, no way. This was it. He absolutely, positively wasn't going there – he didn't care how many times they zapped him. There was a limit and he'd just reached it.

"No." he said calmly but definitely. He looked the taller priest directly in the eye. He allowed all his years in command, all the awful things he'd resisted, the thought of friends and colleagues, all to stand behind him. Torture me if you will, he said silently. I will not do that!

The priests stared back at him. Something in his expression must have gotten through to them as the shorter priest turned to the other.

"Leave him. He does not need the oil. It is enough for now. Get the robe." The other priest – or maybe the assistant priest, thought Jack, walked to a table over in the corner and retrieved a long, silk robe. It was dark blue and thankfully, had a belt.

The priest handed it to him. Turning to the side he quickly whipped off the towel and put the robe on. Geesh, he felt like Hugh Heffner!

"Okay, all done. Now can I have something to eat and drink and maybe take a nap? It's been a rough day."

"Yes, you may eat and drink." Almost on cue a door opened and in walked two serving girls carrying dishes and a pitcher of water. They placed them on the side of the pool and bowing, left.

"Eat and drink. You will need your energy." Both priests laughed at their private joke.

Yeah right. Funny! As he sat down, knowing that he needed something so he wouldn't pass out, he wondered at what the plan was. He kinda figured out what was supposed to happen – but not how they were going to make it happen!

He quickly ate, sparing a brief thought about poison or drugs – but really, it didn't matter. It was eat or starve. Once he'd finished he wiped his face with the napkin. He did feel slightly better now that he'd had something to eat.

"It is now time for the Mai'thun. We will go." He walked towards another door to the left of the entrance.

"Uh – what's this 'my thune?" Jack had an idea but prayed it wasn't so.

Both priests turned and looked at him and smiled. "It will be very pleasant for you. It is the joining." They then opened the door and lead him through.

As he walked down a long corridor he could hear noises behind some of the other doors. He heard grunting and sobbing. He even heard a scream, which made him stop dead beside one of the doors. He wanted to break it open, pretty sure he knew what was going on but the priests waved him on, one of them holding up the disc. Finally, they arrived at the last door in the corridor.

This door was bigger and more elaborate than the others. There were sconces on each side which were lit with live flames.

"You are special, Devdaso. My Lord wants you treated well. You will enter and serve. If you do not – " he lifted the small disc. Yeah, yeah – he got it.

One of the priests leaned over and grabbed the door handle and opened it. He then motioned for Jack to enter. Taking a deep breath he walked through the door, which quickly closed – and was locked – behind him.

The light in the room was dim and it took a moment for his eyes to adjust. All he really could see, at first, was a large four-poster bed in the middle of the huge room. In fact, there really wasn't much else in it except for a small night table with what looked like some bottles and creams.

At first he didn't notice the body on the bed. But then, as his eyes adjusted to the soft light, he saw that there was someone there.

"Hello?" he asked, walking towards the bed.

"Colonel, is that you?"

"Carter?"

"Oh thank God. Yes, it's me Sir. Please, don't come any closer."

"Why not Major? What's wrong?" He stopped but he was extremely worried by the tone in her voice.

"Uh – I'm not wearing any clothes Sir."

"Can you cover up with blankets or something?" he asked, relieved, although it confirmed his thoughts as to what was to take place.

"No. I'm tied to the bed."

"What!" he exploded. "Why the hell did they do that?'

"Because they say that on the first time many women refuse to co-operate and this makes it easier for the man ….. Sir." This time he could hear the tears in her voice. Oh no – she obviously had found out what this was about as well.

"Well for heavens sake, don't worry about that. Nothings going to happen and you're gonna be just fine." He wasn't quite sure what to do. He felt silly just standing there but at the same time he needed to try and help Sam.

"I'd better see if I can untie you. I promise to look away Major but I have to come closer."

"It won't work Sir. They have me tied with metal cuffs, not ropes. You'd need a key to get me out of here."

"God Damn it!" he exploded.

"I couldn't agree more Colonel."

"Are you okay otherwise Major. They didn't hurt you did they?" he asked, concerned.

"No although I was bathed and, and – 'made ready'. It wasn't a great experience."

"Was it the priests?" He thought of the two creepy guys who had 'prepared' him.

"Priests? No, it was a slave girl. She thought this was a great honor."

"These people are sick. Uh Major, is there any way I can sit down – if I promise to close my eyes? I'm feeling kind of tired just standing here."

"Of course Sir", she said hesitatingly. Her voice still sounded pretty wobbly. He just realized what she had said when he first came in. She hadn't known that it would be him.

She thought she was going to be raped by some stranger. Oh God, poor Sam. No wonder she sounded upset.

He gingerly made his way over to the bed, keeping his eyes closed.

"Damn!"

"Are you okay Colonel?"

"Just stubbed my toe. I'll be fine Carter. There", he sighed in relief as he sat down. He was exhausted – and chilly he realized. This robe was definitely not made for warmth.

Oh Geeze – "Sam, how are you?"

"I'm okay Sir."

"No – are you hurt or hungry or cold?"

"Well, they fed me and I'm not hurt. I am a little cold but they didn't leave any blankets so there's not much we can do."

"I'm sorry Sam, what am I thinking? This time you close your eyes."

"Okay – why Sir?"

"I'm gonna share my robe with you Major. That's give you a little warmth and spare both our blushes. Now, keep those eyes closed – remember peaking at your CO is punishable offense!"

She giggled. She was starting to feel a bit better. She'd been terrified as she'd lain there, tied naked to the bed. She'd been shaking, as much in fear as with cold. When she'd heard his voice she'd wanted to get down on her knees and thank every deity she'd ever known anything about – if she could have of course.

Now it was brought back to her again, how safe this man made her feel. He made her believe in hope and goodness and light. Thank God for Jack O'Neill!

"What kind of punishment Sir?" she asked as she heard rustling and then the ripping of cloth.

"Oh, I don't know – a full course dinner with dessert – something like that."

"Home cooked or restaurant?"

"_**Can**_ you cook Major?" he asked in some surprise.

"Of course I can cook. I just don't do it too often."

"Darn – I should have let you peak – that sounds good."

"Who says I didn't?"

"Major!" he actually squeaked. She had to laugh, or actually giggle, at that.

"I didn't Sir – but I must admit I was tempted."

He had ripped a couple of feet of material off the bottom of the robe. This he tied around his waist. Not terribly attractive but it served its purpose. The bad part was his chest was now bare. Maybe he'd ask Sam to keep her eyes closed?

He took the rest of the robe and held it in his hands. He hadn't turned to Sam, affording her the same privacy she was giving him. He would have to do so now, of course, if he wanted to cover her. This was going to be uncomfortable.

"Okay Major. I'm going to cover you up here. I'll try to look as little as possible, I promise, but I will have to turn around to do this."

"I understand Sir", she spoke softly but the teary sound had returned.

"I know Sam – this is hard and it's an awful pos – er situation for you to be in. I promise I'll be quick and I'll keep my eyes focused elsewhere. You just keep your eyes closed, okay."

"Mine? But why?"

"Uh – that'll make it easier for you" and me, he thought to himself.

"Okay"

"So here goes Major." He turned around and quickly draped the robe over her upper body. It came down midway between her waist and knees. Unfortunately the bottom got folded under and he got a clear, but quick, vision of parts he shouldn't be seeing.

God, he said to himself – she was shaved! He wonder if they did that or if she … stop thinking about it Jack. Although if they forced her to go through that he was going to kill them!

"Sir?" she asked, realizing he was still standing there.

"Just about done Major. I need to make one quick adjustment" he carefully pulled the material down, careful not to touch any part of his Major.

"All finished!" He took a deep breath. That had been awkward – but he couldn't help but notice how breathtakingly beautiful she was. He'd always known that, of course, but now he's seen the whole gorgeous package, even if only very briefly.

"Can I open my eyes now Sir?" she asked.

He quickly turned his back to her and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah, okay."

"Thank you Sir. That feels better."

"Still cold?"

"Yes – but not as bad as before."

"They keep it pretty cool in here. Probably to force ….." he stopped. They hadn't discussed this whole scenario yet. He figured this was going to be pretty difficult.

"Did you know what this was about Colonel?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yes", he answered baldly.

"Did you know it was going to be me?"

"Yes" another monosyllabic answer. He hoped she didn't think he had been planning to go through with this. If she did, he was going to feel incredibly hurt.

"Oh thank God - you came in here to try and rescue me didn't you?" he could hear the smile in her voice. Thank God – she did know him.

"Well, I thought I'd try but didn't figure we'd have much chance right now. I guess we're considered a prize catch. They're keeping a pretty close watch on us." He couldn't tell her yet about the device that was keeping him here. In fact, he wondered if he should tell her at all? He wanted her to find a way out for herself and if she had to leave him, well so be it!

"Did they tell you about Ba'al and the … making hosts .." she couldn't continue.

"Oh yeah. I guess Tauri hosts are at a premium. Good old Lord Matzo thinks he's hit pay dirt. The snaky bastard. God, I hate these guys more every time I come into contact with one of them."

"Me too. Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Why won't you turn and look at me? I'm covered up now." She sounded confused.

Crap – she was probably going to find out sooner or later – might as well be now.

"Okay, but don't laugh Carter." he said, partially in jest but mostly serious. He turned around slowly.

It took a little while before she noticed, but then he heard her indrawn breath.

"Sir! What happened? What did they do to you?"

"As you can see Carter – they decided a little 'decoration' was in order. I guess it's for the 'Devdaso's' – the servants of the Gods. Can't say as I like it though. Ferretti and the others will tease me unmercifully. I don't even want to think about what Daniel will say."

He tried to make a joke about it, to laugh it off, but she knew him well enough to know he was seriously upset. This must have been humiliating for him, she thought. This was not the kind of thing Air Force officers went and did. A tattoo – yeah, that was seen as okay – but pierced nipples? No way.

"Does it … hurt Sir?" she asked, not sure what else to say.

"Nah, just a little sore."

"What's the – thing – hanging down. It looks like there is writing on it."

"Yeah, I saw that." He gingerly lifted it up but then quickly dropped it. It pulled on his nipples which was a horrible feeling. "This is were we need Danny. He'd be fascinated and would try and figure it out."

"Well, don't worry about it Colonel. I won't say anything and you can have Janet remove it – them – when we get back."

"I know, I just really, really hate this place you know!"

"Me too." They both sat for a few minutes, contemplating the predicament they found themselves in, but also avoiding speaking about it. It was embarrassing for both of them.

"Colonel – what do you think is going to happen if we don't do what they want?" There, that was oblique enough.

"Don't have any idea. I'm sure it won't be pleasant though." He wouldn't say anything but he figured they'd probably use the disc thingy on him.

"I don't want either of us to get hurt but I really couldn't bare it if they hurt you over this."

"Don't worry – they can't do too much to us, not if they want us to …"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." The conversation died there, neither of them sure what else to say or do. Jack was starting to get really cold. He could feel the Goosebumps on his bare torso. The cold also made his nipples harden – which made them hurt. This was a really, really crappy day.

"Are you cold Major? And the truth okay?"

"Yes Sir. I'm freezing."

"Me too, so I'm gonna get closer. We're both covered, even if it is only a light robe – but we might as well share some body heat. No point in us both freezing to death."

He climbed up on to the bed, very carefully, making sure that he remained covered and the material didn't slip. He then scooted up beside Sam. He knew she must be terribly uncomfortable, lying spread-eagled as she was. He lay on his side, right up next to her and threw his left arm over her middle. He pressed one leg against hers, making sure that the naughty bits were _**not**_ touching. All in all it was an awkward position but at least it provided some warmth. More than that, it provided comfort.

"Ever notice how much 'snugglin' we're doin' lately Carter?" he asked drowsily. He was so tired.

"Yes", she answered with a yawn of her own. "It's nice." She was so tired she didn't even realize what she was saying.

"Mmmmmn. Yeah, very nice." He was drifting into dreamland.

As the two officers slowly fell asleep, neither of them realized how close they'd become – not just physically, but emotionally as well.

Outside the room the two priests waited for the desire of their God to be fulfilled.


	7. Tied

**_Sorry this is a bit shorter tonight as I had to work late . I'm afraid I won't be able to update for a couple of days as I'm in the middle of a move and my compute will be packed up. I should be back by Friday. Thanks again for the great reviews and keep them coming._**

"So Dr. Jackson, what in hell is this all about? Since when do you go around trying to kill officers under my command for no reason?"

The General was visiting Daniel in this cell. As long as there were no women near he seemed reasonably calm, although he was still obsessed with the idea that all women were evil.

"I'm telling you the truth Sir. Major Carter is behind this. She's a traitor and the women on the base are in on it with her."

"What proof do you have Son? What exactly did she do?" Hammond wanted to get to the bottom of this quickly. He was tired and stressed enough as it was with two of his finest officers missing without the rest of SG1 going bonkers.

"She told the Goa'uld where to come to get Jack."

"Yes, but she was taken too."

"Well, that proves it General. They took her because she's one of them."

"But how do you _**know?**_ What if she is as much of an innocent victim as O'Neill. You haven't given me any proof that she turned traitor."

"But don't you see Sir, you don't need proof. It's obvious. She's a woman – you don't need anything more than that."

Hammond sighed and rubbed his eyes. This was getting no where. It was very clear that there was something wrong with both Jackson and Teal'c. He just hope Frasier could discover that it was some sort of virus or something. Otherwise he'd have a hell of a time knowing what to do with two homicidal misogynists.

Okay, he needed to find out something more about what went on on the damn planet. Maybe that would help the doctor discover some source for this condition.

"So, tell me again Dr. Jackson, when did you first discover that women were evil?"

Daniel spent the next 20 minutes telling the General about the ceremony, the smoke, and his feeling of 'revelation' about women. Hammond wasn't sure if this meant anything but it was a place to start.

By the time Janet arrived at the Infirmary Teal'c had already been taken into surgery by Dr. Warner. She knew his symbiote would heal him pretty quickly but they still had to get the bullet out.

She returned to her office and pulled out the tests that had been done on both Teal'c and Daniel when they'd returned from the mission. She was hoping she could find something, anything that would point to what was wrong with them.

She'd never seen anything like this before. She stopped and laughed at that. Most of the stuff she saw anymore was stuff she'd never seen before. The bizarre, the inane, the terrifying and the just plain weird had become the norm around the SGC.

After a few minutes looking at the test results she laid them down in frustration. Nothing! Everything looked absolutely, totally normal. At least as far as Daniel was concerned. With Teal'c – well it was not always easy to tell. She'd become much better at figuring out Jaffa physiology but there was still a lot she didn't know. What she couldn't figure out was why he had been affected.

She was positive this had a physiological cause. The exposure to an unknown substance must have been the cause. But usually Teal'c's symbiote would protect him. In this case it hadn't seemed to. According to Daniel Teal'c had even acted as if drunk. She spared a small smile at that. It was something she would liked to have seen. In fact, seeing both Daniel and Teal'c drunk at the same time would have been a sight to behold. It must have been something out of a Laurel and Hardy comedy. Jack would be disappointed to have missed it.

The thought of the Colonel suddenly switched her mind to him and Sam. She hoped to God they were okay. One of these days they wouldn't come back from one of these missions. She quickly turned and knocked on her desk – she had to stop thinking that way – wouldn't want to jinx them.

"Janet?" the voice from behind startled her. She turned quickly.

"Jacob. I didn't see you there."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I just got up – I was up all last night dealing with the council and thought I'd catch a few winks. When I woke up I heard all hell had broken loose. Is it true that the General shot Teal'c?"

"Yes", she let out a huff of breath. "He was trying to kill me and the General had to shoot him to save my life. He'll be okay. He's in surgery but I expect his symbiote is already repairing the damage."

"Say that again. Teal'c tried to _**kill**_ you? What in hell for? Did you pull a Band-aid off too quickly or something."

"No, it's because I'm a woman."

"Because you're a woman? Okay, I can see why that might be a reason for some idiots – but **Teal'c?** He's one of the least sexist guys – or Jaffa – I know. Not that I know many Jaffa of course."

"Yeah, well that's not the worst of it. Daniel was the one who told him to kill me."

'Daniel? Our Daniel? Butter wouldn't melt in your mouth, save the world, save the whales, Daniel? You're kidding right?"

"Sadly no. I don't know what's wrong but they were exposed to something on that planet that has turned them against all women. I can't find anything in their tests though. I'm afraid we're going to have to send someone back to get samples of whatever that substance was."

"According to Daniel it was part of some sacred ceremony. It might be difficult to get a sample."

"Yes, I know. There's nothing else I can think of to do."

"Hey, you don't think Jack was affected by that too do you?" He suddenly worried about Sam.

"No, according to Daniel Jack was as "deceived" as the rest of the men. He didn't take part in that ceremony remember"

"Good. It's enough that they've been captured by some smarmy Goa'uld – they certainly don't need some alien virus on top of it."

"No, I agree."

"I have to head back Janet. I'm going to see if we've heard anything from any of our operatives. When I'm there I'll ask if any of the Tokra have heard of such a thing. Selmac hasn't but maybe someone else knows something that might help."

"Thanks Jacob, I appreciate that. And don't worry – we'll get Sam and the Colonel back. If anyone can get them out it's him."

"I know. As much as he sometimes makes me want to strangle him, there's no one I'd trust more with my Sammy."

The man he would trust with his daughter was just waking up out of a sound sleep. His body had finally given up after hours of pain and stress and he had slept so deeply he hadn't noticed anything.

His first realization, foggy though it was, on waking up was that there was something in his hand. It took him a second to realize what it was.

A breast! He was holding a breast and it was very nice. It'd been quite a while but he remembered clearly how much he liked them. He lay there, not thinking, just enjoying. Yes, this was definitely the life.

Oh my God! He suddenly woke up and realized whose breast he was holding. He was going to jerk his hand away when he decided that that would probably wake Sam and necessitate explanations and apologies. From the steady rise and fall of said – breast – he could tell she was still sleeping.

Okay, he had to do this very carefully, very slowly so as not to wake her. It was going to be difficult. He lay there for another few seconds (no – he wasn't procrastinating – he was waiting for a strategic moment). Gingerly he began to lift his hand, trying not to do anything that would wake her up. He'd almost reached safety when his thumb inadvertently brushed her …

"SIR!" she squeaked and jerked away – which left his hand hanging suspiciously in mid air. "What are you doing?"

"Uh – nothing?" he tried to sound nonchalant.

"Nothing? I thought you had your hand…."

"What? Where? My hand?" Okay, that was good.

"Did you have your hand on my … on me?"

"Hey, I was asleep okay? It wasn't intentional – you must have moved."

"Moved? Sir, I'm tied down – if anyone was going to move it was you."

"I'm sorry Carter –really. It was an accident – I promise."

"I know Sir", she sighed, "it's okay". She would never tell him – never admit this to a living soul, but she hadn't actually been sleeping. She'd woken up before O'Neill. When she'd first realized that the warmth she felt – there – was due to his hand encircling her she'd wanted to jump a mile high. Then, she'd discovered, with a very guilty conscience, that she quite enjoyed it. She figured it wouldn't matter if he didn't know she knew – or something like that.

She ended up dozing, almost asleep, enjoying the sensation. It was when he'd lifted his hand that she'd woken up fully again and jumped. She almost laughed at his expression – but she felt instead she'd give him a bit of a hard time. The Colonel with a guilt trip was a sight to behold.

By this time the Colonel had rolled over and was sitting up on the side of the bed. Damn, she shouldn't have given him a hard time. She really missed his presence next to her.

"Did you sleep well Sir?" she asked, trying to break the silence.

"What? Oh yeah. Slept really well. I guess I was exhausted. How about you? Were you cold?"

"I slept well too, although my right side was a bit chilly. I hope they come and release me soon. I'm getting really stiff."

"Yeah – by the look of things it must be morning already. I think they left us alone all night."

"Do you think they're going to know we didn't … you know?"

"Probably. I expect they're experts in this."

"God, I hope they don't decide to examine me or something."

"Carter, I'm really sorry about this. I hate that you're in this position – literally and figuratively. I'd do anything to get you out of here."

"Hey, it's not your fault Sir. I'm just glad they decided to pair us up. And we'll both get out of here."

The Colonel didn't answer. He really couldn't see a way out for him – not with this contraption on his chest and in his stomach. He glanced down ot the rings and again felt a sense of frustration. What kind of person would do this?

They both heard the door unlocking a moment later. Well, this is it, thought Jack. Somehow he didn't expect to enjoy the next few minutes.

The two creepy priests walked in and both looked rather unhappy.

"You did not do as you were commanded. You did not perform the Mai'thun."

"Okay – so how do you know? Are you peeping Tom's or what?"

Both priests ignored this.

"Why did you not do as you were instructed." The braided one asked again.

"Uh – because we don't do things like that just because we're told to. Sorry."

"You do not have a choice. You must do your duty. It's the will of our God."

"Well, a coupla things here – one, that's not my duty and two, he's not my God."

"You will be punished for disobeying."

"So, what's new?" Jack had expected this. Sam looked worried.

"Call the slave girl", Heidi said to the other guy. "She can look after the woman. You", he pointed to Jack, "will come with me." He held up the disc so Jack turned to Sam.

"I'm just gonna go for now. I'll be back." He turned to the priests again. "You're going to let her up aren't you? There's no reason to keep her tied up there."

"It is not your business. Come." The priest led Jack out into the other room. I guess this is it, he thought.

He had barely entered the room when the priest activated the disc. He held it on for longer this time, causing Jack to almost black out in pain. Finally, when the priest stopped he lay there, not only hurting, but dreadfully sick to his stomach. He was afraid he was going to throw up.

"You can not disobey. Your duty is to provide children for our Lord. He has made a bargain with Lord Ba'al. If he doesn't deliver he will be killed as will we. You will obey and you will take the woman."

"No", Jack gasped. It was difficult to speak. "Can't do it."

"What! Are you unable. We were not told this."

"You weren't? Oh, that's too bad. Yeah – old war wound."

"In that case we had better take you back to D'jindra – he may be able to fix you. If not, he will make you Tar'hok."

Jack squinted up at the Priest. He certainly didn't like the idea of seeing D'jindra again – nor did he like the sound of the tarhook.

"Uh – what's Tarhook?"

"Tar'hok – is this." He pulled open his robes and Jack gasped. The priest was a eunuch – all his genitals having been removed. Now he felt really sick. This was bad, very bad.

"Nope – don't think I need to see old D'jinny baby. I'm just fine. My war wound was on my finger – broke it while parachuting."

"You can perform?"

"If I want to. And I don't want to."

"You do not like women?"

He was careful what he said this time – he didn't want to end up in a worse situation.

"Yes, I like women fine. But on my world we don't – do that – with just anyone. We have to be mated with the woman." Okay, so he was stretching the truth a little - but they'd never know.

"It's against our religion, our beliefs to mate with someone we're not – mated with."

"You beliefs mean nothing here. Here you worship our God and do his bidding." He turned to his partner in crime.

"We will take him to D'jindra. He will know what to do."

Damn, double damn – not back to that sadist! He was really getting worried.

Sam felt incredibly relieved when she was released. The first thing she did was use the bathroom and then wrap herself in a blanket.

Solyara spoke "Why did the man not perform Mai'thun with you? Is there something wrong with him?"

Wrong with Jack? God, she hoped not.

"No, it's just this isn't something we do."

"What do you mean? It is commanded."

"No, you see we don't do this 'on command'. This is something we only do when we love someone."

"And you do not love the man? I thought you did – he is very handsome although a bit old."

"He's not old – and, well, it's complicated. You see, I'm seeing someone back home. I have a man already."

"You do? That is sad for now he will not be the father of your children. You are here to serve and will bear many children. When you are done you may be returned to your man."

Yeah – as if Pete would want her then, she thought.

"Do you know where they've taken Jack – the man who was with me?"

"They will probably take him to D'jindra." The way she said it Sam didn't get the feeling that this was a good thing.

"Who is this "D'jindra?"

"He is the one who punishes when we disobey. He also makes us do things we do not always wish to do. He frightens me. He is the one who punished – Jack? – when you arrived."

"What? He punished Jack. What did he do? I didn't see anything."

"Did you not notice the rings on his chest?"

"Yes, I thought they were a decoration – that's what he said."

"Yes, they can be used for that, but not by D'jindra. He used them to keep someone in control. He attaches a device to the inside of the stomach – the disc hanging from the chain controls this and causes much pain. It also keeps him from escaping for to leave the compound will cause it to activate."

"Does he know this? Jack? Does he know this?" she was starting to feel angry at one Colonel O'Neill.

"Yes, I am sure of it. D'jindra will have told him. I hear the pain is terrible and if it is on for too long the person will die."

God, she sat down on the bed. what were they going to do?

"I will bring you some food and you must eat. They will bring – Jack – back soon and you will perform the Mai'thun." She spoke confidently as if it were a foregone conclusion. What _**were**_ they going to do?

Jack was practically dragged into the little building which housed the local version of the chief inquisitor. The little man was working on something – probably designing more interesting torture devices, thought Jack.

As he walked in, followed by the twins, D'jindra turned and looked at him and grinned. Damn but he hated that grin.

"You return Tauri? Why?" he turned to the Priests.

"He would not perform Mai'thun."

"He wouldn't. Why not?' he asked in surprise. In his experience most of the men quite liked to perform their duty.

"He says it is against his beliefs."

"Really? Did you explain that that means nothing here?"

"Yes. He still refuses."

"Okay, lay him on the table."

"Ah no. Come on. You don't need to do that again. It's not going to change my mind anyway."

"It is not your mind I am trying to change – it is your body.."

Crap! What did that mean? He'd better not plan on any more 'modifications' and he certainly didn't want to end up like the priests.

The Priest with the disc held it up and he slowly walked to the table. He knew they could just activate it and force him up anyway. He sat on the bed and could feel his palms grow sweaty.

"Lie down."

"That's okay. I'd much prefer to sit."

A sharp bolt of agony signaled the fact that the priest had activated the damn disc. The pain was so intense that he automatically laid down anyway. By the time it had stopped he realized he was once again tied down.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, trying to sound blasé but in fact feeling quite nervous.

"Nothing very much". D'jindra walked across the room and pulled something from the cabinet. As he turned to walk back Jack could see that it was a needle and a vial of some kind of liquid. Okay, not good but better than if he'd been holding a knife.

D'jindra walked up and grinned that damn grin which usually meant he was going to do something terrible. He reached down and plunged the needle right in Jack's …

"Ow shit! God damnit, that hurt. Why did you do it there? You could have shot me in the butt or arm or something." He again felt sick to his stomach. He'd never received a needle in that tender area before and hoped never to experience it again.

"It is not your …."butt' or arm that is at issue." D'jindra turned back to the priests. "Leave him for 10 minutes and then you can return him to the woman. By then he will be ready." With that he walked out, much to Jack's delight.

He lay there, contemplating the ceiling and trying to get over that damn shot. He'd always hated needles but that took the cake. From now on he wouldn't complain about Janet poking him.

After a couple of minutes he started to feel strange. Not bad, just strange. His thoughts began to revolve around the brief glimpse he'd had of Sam last night. He tried to focus his mind elsewhere, feeling guilty for even thinking of such a thing, but found he couldn't. The next thing he knew he was starting to sweat and feel very – hot, in more ways than one.

"You gave me some kind of damn aphrodisiac, didn't you you bastard." He soon noticed that his body was reacting – giving evidence to his drug induced desire.

The two priests laughed when they saw the state he was in. Not very nice boys – just cause you're jealous! He knew he was losing the ability to think clearly. All he could think of was how much he wanted Sam.

The priests untied him and had to practically drag him back to the other building. The entire way flashes of a naked Sam, a laughing Sam, an eating Sam – hell, any kind of Sam, filled his mind. He could hardly wait to get to her and "Mai'thun" with her. He laughed softly to himself. Yup – he was going to Mai'thun her brains out!

They finally arrived at the room with the doors and pretty much threw him in.

"Enjoy Tauri! We will return when you are finished." Laughing, they closed and locked the door.

There she was, this time just sitting on the bed. Beautiful. God, he wanted her now.

"Sir? Colonel? Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

He just stared at her, mesmerized.

She was extremely worried. The Colonel didn't look right. Something was wrong. She stood up to go to him.

"Colonel? Can you hear me? Are you okay."

He had a brief moment of sanity and knew that she was in real danger. With the state he was in right now he could easily end up raping her – and that was something he would never, ever forgive himself for – alien drug induced or not.

"Tie me up."

"What Sir?" She walked closer.

"Tie me up – now."

"Why Sir? What's wrong?"

"Order Sam – please, hurry. I can't hold out much longer. Please!" he begged, practically sobbing. "Gave me something – you have to tie me up."

She looked at him closely and saw a wild look in his eyes. She noticed also his state of arousal and realized what must be happening. They must have given him something to force him to attack her. With that realization came the motivation to do as he said. She walked to the bed, which now had both sheets and blankets, and stripped the top sheet. She quickly ripped it in strips. Turning she walked over towards him, staying just out of his reach.

"Okay Sir. I have the ties. What do you want me to do?"

He looked at her and thought how easy it would be to grab her and throw her on the bed. He could strip the clothes off her in a second. It would be so easy and so nice –

"SIR!" she shouted, trying to refocus him. It worked. He looked at her and grimaced. He then knelt on the ground and then laid down on his stomach – which must have been uncomfortable considering his state. He put his hands behind his back.

"Hurry … Sam. And be …. careful. I don't know how long I can hang on." She quickly knelt beside him, out of the way of his legs. She quickly grabbed his wrists and tied them as tightly as she could. As she moved to his legs he suddenly heaved himself up, with a wild look, and proceeded to try and attack her – even with his hands behind his back.

It took all over her combat training to finally get him pinned so that she could tie his legs. She figured she wouldn't have been able to even do that if it hadn't been for the fact that he was drugged and not at his fighting best.

When she had tied his legs she then tied a strip of cloth from his ankles to the frame of the bed. That would keep him even more secure.

He kept trying to remove the ties, frantic to get to her. He was like an animal and she was unable to calm him down or reason with him. After a little while, when he realized he couldn't get to her, he started spewing obscene suggestions as to what he wanted to do to her.

She knew it wasn't his fault – this wasn't the Colonel talking, not really. But still, it was upsetting. She could feel herself close to tears and tried to ignore the words coming from his mouth but it was almost impossible.

It went on for hours, until finally it looked as if the drug was wearing off. Jack finally slumped down, either asleep or unconscious. She got up on the bed and curled up under the blanket, exhausted and sick at heart.

"We have to get out of here. Please, someone help us." She cried until she fell asleep.


	8. After Effects

_**Hi. Thanks for your patience in waiting for the update. The good news is I'm moved into a house and am loving it! This will be a really short chapter tonight - just wanted to give you something. I'll write longer ones this weekend. Thanks for the kind comments and all the well-wished for my move. They worked! Thanks again.**_

Okay, he really felt like crap. Everything was aching – no, he took that back, everything but his arms which seemed to have no feeling whatsoever. He had a moment of panic, wondering what was wrong when he realized that the lack of feeling was due to the fact that his arms were tied behind his back. It had clearly been for a while considering the complete lack of feeling. He tried to move which brought to his attention that his legs were tied as well.

He was naked – except for the bloody rings and chain, but at least someone had covered him with a blanket. Lying on the floor though meant he was still very cold.

What the hell had happened, he wondered? The last thing he remembered he was being taken to see the sadist. He remembered being terrified they were going to turn him into one of those Tarhooks. Instead, D'jindra had jabbed him in the balls.. He'd never had a needle there before and didn't ever plan to repeat the experience!

But what had happened after that, and why was he tied up? He looked around and finally recognized that he was in Sam's room, on the floor. He noticed then that he was even tied to the foot of the bed. Okay, this was not good. Where was Sam? He couldn't see the top of the bed from his position so didn't know if she was there or not. He hoped to God she was okay.

After struggling for a few minutes he finally managed to sit up, his legs pulled out straight in front of him. His balance was off so it was uncomfortable but at lease he could see the bed and – thank heavens – the fact that Sam was in it.

She was curled up, a blanket pulled up over her. She had a frown, even in her sleep, and it looked as if she'd been crying. What had happened?

"Sam", he called. She was in a deep sleep and didn't respond.

"Sam", he said her name a bit louder with no response.

"Sam, come on. Help me here. Wake up! I need you to untie me." Maybe she was drugged, he worried. Normally she was a light sleeper. They all were – they had to be when on mission, their lives often depended on it. Still, she didn't wake up.

"MAJOR CARTER – WAKE UP!" he shouted. With that, he could no longer sit up and flopped back on the floor. He wasn't able to see her now but at least he could hear her start to stir.

He heard some mumbling and then silence.

"Sir?" a small, tentative voice came floating down from the bed.

"Yes Carter?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yup – just fine Major. Kinda lyin' around, takin' it easy. There's just one little thing. – I'm sorta tied up here."

"Oh"

Oh? Somehow he'd expected a bit different reaction. And, to top it off she hadn't even peeked her head over the edge of the bed to look at him.

"Sam?"

"Yes?"

"What's going on?"

"Uh ….. do you remember what happened Colonel?"

"No, if I did I wouldn't ask. Uh Carter … do ya think you could untie me. My arms and feet are completely numb."

There was more silence and then he heard some rustling. He finally saw her head look over the side of the bed at him.

He raised his eyebrows, wondering why she wasn't hurrying to help him. This really wasn't like her,

"Carter?"

"Are you alright Sir?"

"Yeah, I just told you – I'm fine, I just need you to untie me."

"I'm not sure I should Colonel. Maybe we should wait awhile?"

"Wait? Why in hell should we wait? I wanna get out of here Major." There was something really wrong. Had Sam gone bonkers?

"I just want to make sure you're okay. I'll undo you in a bit."

"Sam – what's going on? Why am I tied up?"

"You told me to Sir."

"I _**told **_you to? Why in hell would I do that? And why would you listen to me?"

"You really don't remember?"

"No, as I said before, if I remembered I wouldn't be asking you."

Taking a deep breath Sam turned and wrapped the blanket around herself. They still hadn't given her any clothes but at least now there were blankets. As soon as she was 'decent' she sat at the foot of the bed, legs hanging down, and looked at the Colonel.

Seeing him there, clearly uncomfortable and confused, made her feel terribly guilty. At the same time, she still felt traumatized over the events of the past evening. Watching the Colonel become like a wild animal and try to attack her had been beyond disturbing. What was as bad was listening to all the horrible things he'd said. No matter how hard she tried she couldn't get his words out of her mind. Thinking back on it she should have gagged him but at the time she didn't even think of such a thing. It had been bad enough tying him up.

"They gave you something."

"Yeah, I remember that – boy do I remember that!" He suddenly stopped; his eyes narrowed looking at Sam. What was it the two loony priests and D'jindra were talking about? He thought back, trying to remember through his still fuzzy thoughts.

Oh God – they took him there because he'd refused to – make babies – with Carter. So D'jinny had shot him in the balls. That's the last thing he remembered, but something bad must have happened after that.

"Sam, tell me what happened. I need to know." This time his voice had taken on a slightly panicked note. He was really frightened over what he might have done.

Sam had her head down and refused to look up. She began to speak in a soft voice.

"They brought you back and you looked bad – like something was wrong. You looked …. wild. You then told me to tie you up."

"Just like that – I walked in and said 'tie me up'? There must have been some reason for me to do that."

"They gave you something Sir – something that made you", here she stopped. How did she tell him?.

"That made me what? Come on, spit it out Major. You're worrying me here."

She knew it must be frustrating for him. She should have just told him in a matter of fact way – as if it was no big deal. Now, of course, she'd not only worried him but made it out to be a big deal. Okay Sam, just spit it out.

"They gave you some kind of alien Viagra Sir. It caused you to be quite … 'aroused' and you were afraid you were going to attack me so you told me to tie you up. I did. The drug lasted most of the night until you finally passed out."

He was silent, realizing how out of control this situation had become. As soon as she had told him what had happened he remembered bits and pieces, although still not much.

"I didn't hurt you did I?" That was his biggest fear.

"No. I managed to get you tied before the drug really hit. You didn't hurt me."

"You said 'before' the drug really hit – what did I do 'after' it hit?" He was getting more worried every second.

"You tried to get out of the ties, Sir. You fought for a long time. You're probably going to be pretty sore."

"Already am Major."

Something in Sam's tone disturbed him. Looking closely at her he saw that she still refused to meet his eyes.

"What else?"

"What Colonel?"

"What else? What else did I do?"

"Nothing."

"Somehow I don't believe you Sam. Come on – what else?"

"You just said some things."

When she didn't continue he prodded her again.

"What kind of things?"

"Nothing important Colonel. You were drugged."

"Sam – speak to me. What did I say? You're obviously upset and you're scaring me."

"Sir, it was the drugs talking, not you. It really doesn't matter exactly what. It was just that it was hard to listen to you say those things, even though I know it really wasn't you."

"I'm guessing from that that I said some – inappropriate things?"

He could see a small smile on her face at that.

"Yes Sir – you could say that."

"How inappropriate?"

"Uh … very!"

"Very? God Carter, I'm sorry. I guess I can imagine what kind of things but please believe me – I would never say – heck, I'd never _**think**_ those kind of things about you. It really was the drugs Sam."

She finally brought her head up and looked directly at him. "I know Sir. It was just kind of upsetting to see you – and hear you – like that."

"But you're sure nothing else happened?"

"No, I promise, nothing else."

"All right – can you untie me then?"

She looked at him carefully. She was going to make sure this was not some kind of trick caused by the drug.

She jumped off the bed and knelt down beside him. She intentionally brushed up against him, wanting to see his reaction. If the drug was still in his system this would probably cause a reaction. If not, well then she'd let him go.

It was a good thing she couldn't read his mind as he definitely felt a reaction when she grew near him. No, it wasn't drug induced – it was all Jack. He just couldn't help his reaction.

"Can you roll over a bit so I can get the ties off your wrists?"

"Of course." He managed to turn a bit, worried that he was going to lose the blanket. Although he guessed that was a moot point at this stage. He assumed he'd been totally naked while under the affects of the drug. And she said he'd been 'aroused'! Great! Nice to know Sam had pretty much witnessed everything about him now. He'd just have to not think about it too hard (okay, wrong word O'Neill – get a grip).

It was a bit difficult turning over without feeling in a good portion of his body and with his legs tied to the bed. He must have moved enough because he could tell she was doing something. Unfortunately, he still couldn't feel anything.

"There, all done. I'll do your ankles now. You can bring your arms forward Sir"

"Uh, actually I can't. I can't really feel them", he mumbled.

"I'm so sorry Sir!" She sounded horribly guilty. After she'd quickly released his ankles she reached over and took his arms and pulled them forward. She then began to rub up and down his arms, trying to get the blood circulating.

He looked down at his hands and felt a bit concerned. They were terribly swollen and his wrists were bruised and bloody. He had very obviously fought like hell to get out of the ties. It must have been pretty scarey indeed for Sam.

"This is going to hurt Sir", she said as she continued to rub his arms. He knew that was going to be true but even so was surprised when the pain of nerves returning to life suddenly hit.

"Ow! Oh crap that hurts." He tried to pull away from Carter, her rubbing was really causing it to hurt even more.

"No Sir – let me do this. I know it's painful but we need to get the circulation back. I'm really sorry about this." She again sounded extremely guilty.

"Hey – I'm glad you did. I'll get over the pain shortly. If I'd … attacked you I never would have gotten over it." He continued to grimace as his legs were now added to the tingling burning pain that was moving up and down his arms. Of course, pain from the bruised and torn ankles and wrists made it even worse.

"We need to clean those up", Sam commented, looking at the blood. "You don't want to get that infected."

"I think infection's the least of our worries right now." By this time the feeling had pretty much returned and it was starting to hurt less. He really wanted to get off the floor as his butt was freezing.

"Help me up here Carter." He held his hand up, knowing he was so stiff he'd probably fall right over.

She held her arm down and pulled as he attempted to stand. He almost didn't make it – the combination of numbness and stiffness making it difficult to gain balance. The fact that he was carefully holding the blanket around himself didn't make it any easier either.

"There! Thanks. If you don't mind I'd kinda like to lie down. I'm freezing and still kinda sore."

"Of course. Here, let me help." She put her arm under his and helped him walk – or hobble – over to the bed where he collapsed. She reached down and lifted his legs. Once he was flat she tucked his blanket around him.

"Better?"

"Yeah – thanks. Why don't you join me? I mean – why don't you relax on the bed. No point standing on a cold, hard floor."

"Okay", she sat down on the edge of the bed, really wishing she could cuddle up next to him.

"Relax Carter. I'm not going to bite." This, when she stayed perched on the edge of the mattress. "I promise, the drug's all gone. I won't hurt you."

If only he knew it had nothing to do with that but rather the fact that she was craving some comfort. The last night had been terrifying. She was frightened and confused and desperately wanted a shoulder – preferably his shoulder – to lean on.

He must have caught on to her feelings because he looked at her intently.

"Carter?"

"Yes Sir", she snifled. God, don't let her cry, she thought.

"Come here."

"What?"

"Come here."

"Why?"

"Why? Because you're upset, because I'm feeling horrible for what I put you through and I'm also freezing. I think we both need some comfort. I think it's time for a little more snuggling – just between Colonel and Major" he was careful to say – he didn't want to worry her further.

She looked at him uncertainly. What did he mean by that? Well, whatever he meant, she really, really wanted to 'snuggle'.

"Come on Major, get your butt over here and help warm me up. I just spent the night on the floor."

"Okay", she murmured. Without looking at him she slithered over, keeping the blanket firmly around herself. When she got about four inches from him she stopped.

He sighed. She really wasn't going to make this easy. He managed to scoot over those few inches until he was touching her. They were both cocooned in their respective blankets, which kind of defeated the purpose. At the same time, they were both without clothes and that was a very dangerous position to be in. If they weren't careful they could end up doing what the damn Goa'uld wanted them to do anyway.

"Sam?"

"Yes Sir?" she asked. She really wished she could get rid of the blanket and really snuggle with him. Oh dear … Pete! What was she thinking?

"Are you on …?" he stopped.

"What Sir?" she looked at him, confused.

"Uh, I just thought of something. Are you on birth control?" He felt terriby embarrassed to even ask but with everything that was going on he figured it was important to know. He hadn't wanted to ask because if she said yes that would just confirm that she and Pete were…. He had to stop thinking right there because it was just too upsetting.

"Yes Sir", Damn! He knew it.

"All female soldiers are required to when going off world. It's standard in case … well, in case something like this happens."

Unutterably relieved (it didn't mean she and Pete _**weren't**_ but it allowed him the opportunity to believe they weren't.

Then her comment got through to him. "In case something like _**this**_ happens? Do you honestly think that the powers that be in the AF could have possibly conceived (pardon the pun) of this scenario."

She giggled (God, that was so good to hear). "No Sir – but you know what I mean. They're afraid that a woman might get attacked – or, which is probably more likely – do something with a fellow soldier to get, you know, pregnant."

"Yeah, I guess so. But you haven't taken any since we've been here anyway so I guess it doesn't really matter."

"No Sir – or I mean yes. We use Depo Provera."

He looked confused.

"You know – the shot. It lasts for months at a time. I just got mine a few weeks ago."

"Okay – so no worries then. I mean – if something – or if we can't... Oh hell, you know what I mean Sam."

"Yes Colonel. I've thought that too. I'm sorry, I should have said something I just assumed you knew."

"Oh, I'm sure Janet probably told me at one time or another. It's just not the sort of thing I'm gonna pay too much attention to. You know – it's not a 'guy' kind of thing."

She laughed out loud at that. Typical male comment – as if procreation was only a 'female' kind of thing.

He looked at her suspiciously figuring, accurately, that that had been a 'men are so clueless, us women have to stick together' kind of laugh. He'd been married – he knew.

"Sorry Sir."

"No problem Carter. You feelin' a bit better."

"Yes", she answered in surprise. He'd done it again. God, Jack should bottle and market himself as an anti-worry/anti-stress device.

"Good. I hate to bring up bad stuff then but I'm thinkin' we should discuss what to do."

"Do you think we should tell them about the birth control."

"Hmmm", he gave it some serious thought. Would that give them a reprieve? It might give them extra time for rescue to come. On the other hand, it could endanger Sam if they thought she was safe from pregnancy. Since the Goa'uld had wanted the two of them to 'breed' he wouldn't chance having any other man touch her. If she was safe from pregnancy that might change.

"No, I don't think so. I don't see that that will help us. No, I think we should figure a way out."

"What about the device you're wearing?"

He looked at her in surprise. How had she known?

"Solyara told me. Why didn't you say something Colonel?" She looked at him accusingly.

"Didn't see a reason to Sam. It doesn't affect you."

"What do you mean?" she replied angrily. She almost sat up she was so ticked at him but at the last second remembered the blanket. "Of course it affects me. Anything that makes it difficult for you to escape is going to hinder me as well. I also might be able to help you with the device."

"I don't see how", he said, not addressing her first comment. "The device itself is inside me – the sadistic old gnome – D'jindra", he explained when she looked at him questioningly, "said it can only be removed through surgery."

"How did they get it inside you and why doesn't it just …. come out?"

"He stuck a tube down my throat and then stuck the thing in. It was somehow attached to my stomach wall so it won't …. as you say 'come out'. The rings are what activate it."

"May I take a look Sir? Maybe I can figure a way to remove them."

"That would be nice Carter. Sure, knock yourself out." He lay back on the bed and tugged the blanket down so his chest was showing. He refused to look at it any more as it was too depressing a site.

"May I touch?"

"Okay" he answered shortly. He so didn't want her touching, for a whole host of reasons, none of which he could say to her.

She gently reached out and touched one of the rings. He jerked away from her touch but then settled down. She moved closer, to get a better view.

"Does it hurt if I touch them Sir?" she asked.

"Don't think so – haven't really touched 'em."

She wasn't surprised at this. She figured he'd avoid even thinking about the rings. She reached out again and this time took one of the rings to see if she could see any markings or seams. She bent down closer to get a better look.

As she manipulated it a bit she could see the goosebumps rise on Jack's skin. He had his eyes closed but she could tell his breathing had sped up. She wondered if they really did hurt.

"Are you okay Colonel?"

"Fine", he answered. She was surprised at how 'squeaky' his voice was.

After a few more minute's examination she finally stopped. She would have liked to have gone on longer but found herself getting short of breath. She hoped there wasn't something in the air. Both she and the Colonel seemed to be having problems breathing.

"I'm sorry Sir. I can't really see anything. I expect you'll have to have them cut off."

"Yeah, kind of what I figured. Just remember Carter, you promised not to tell anyone."

"Of course not Sir, although just think how convenient it could be."

"Convenient?"

"Yes – you could hang your dogtags on it."

"Ha, ha" he answered sarcastically. "Just remember Carter – they might decide to do the same to you so I wouldn't laugh."

"I'm sorry Sir – I was just –"

"Ack! I know Carter. I wasn't upset – just giving you a hard time."

The two comrades lay for a while longer, not really snuggling, but close enough to give each other comfort. They didn't know what lay ahead but they both prayed this would come to an end soon.

It was not long before the door opened and in walked Tweedledum and Tweedledummer, the two priests.

"Did you Mai'thun?" asked head honcho. Boy, they sure didn't waist time on niceties did they? Nope, just right to the point.

"Oh yeah – sure", Jack answered. "We Mai'thuned all night. Now we're tuckered so you can leave us be. Maybe send in some food and drink – Mai'thuning makes you hungry you know."

The two looked at him carefully, trying to gage whether or not he was telling the truth. Finally, short guy spoke.

"We will examine the woman to see if you are telling the truth. If you are lying it will go badly for you."

"Okay", he sighed, "I lied. We didn't Mai'thun – I fell asleep."

"You fell _**asleep**_? Heidi asked incredulously. He must know the effects of that drug.

"Yeah, is that a problem? I need my beauty sleep."

The priests grew enraged. They had never had someone who withstood the will of the Gods like this one. The smaller priest reached in and took out the disk and proceeded to 'show' Sam how it worked.

"Enough! Stop it. You're going to kill him", shouted Sam. She tried to cradle him in her arms but he was afraid he was going to be sick. After everything that had happened he really, really didn't want to add 'vomiting in her lap' to his list.

The priests (he had to figure out their names) had finally finished with him. It was a good thing because he was feeling worse now than ever.

"This time we will take the woman. Maybe D'jindra can talk some sense into her."

"No!" Jack yelled. He didn't want that sick man to get his hands on Sam. Anything but that.

"Take me. Please. He can't hurt Sam – she's the one who will have the babies." He would try anything to protect her.

The two priests looked at each other, obviously carrying out some kind of private conversation. Finally, the 'numero uno' turned to Jack.

"Come then. We will take you with us now." One of them reached down and pulled him to his feet. He was surprised, and a little dismayed, to realize how sore and sick he felt. he only just managed to save the blanket. As he was pulled towards the door Sam spoke to him one last time,

"It'll be okay Sir. Just hand on.." With that he and the priest left the room.

The other one turned to Sam one last time.

"You know that if something happens to him it will be your fault? D'jindra will decide to make him Tar'hok if he refuses to Mai'thun with you."

"What is 'tar'hok?" she asked. The priest gave her the same demonstration he'd given Jack. Now she was really frightened.

Maybe the best thing was just getting it over with! Although knowing the Colonel, he would absolutely refuse, no matter what it cost him. She would just have to find a way!


	9. Lies and Subterfuge

**_Thank you for the reviews - along with some good suggestions which I'm using here (Thanks PatriciaS). Hope you enjoy and love the feedback (thanks also 'pain in the mikta' for the catch - sometimes I write so fast my fingers think before my brain - I'll watch for that!)_**

The General was a little unsure as to what to do about Daniel and Teal'c. When it came to Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter there was little he _**could**_ do – other than wait to hear back from the Tokra. With the other two members of SG1 it was a little different.

He agreed with Dr. Frasier that they had to get a sample of the substance that the two men had come in contact with. The problem was who to send to get it? He didn't want to expose any more of the men. They certainly didn't need more 'women haters' running around. On the other hand, with the way the locals viewed women they probably would get nowhere if a woman only team went to the planet.

Sighing, he rubbed his eyes. He had to make a decision soon. Daniel and Teal'c were showing no signs of improvement and it was creating a strain on everyone.

Teal'c had come out of surgery successfully; his symbiote quickly working to heal him. The problem was that he wouldn't let any of the female nurses approach him and they had a very limited number of male nurses. Warner was looking after Teal'c and they had given the available nurses double shifts but that couldn't go on much longer. Although, that probably didn't matter too much; with the way Teal'c healed he'd be ready soon to join Daniel in a security cell.

Just then he heard a soft knock on his door.

"Enter"

"General?" Frasier walked in, looking about as stressed as he was feeling.

"What is it Doctor? Is everything okay?"

"Well, nothings changed Sir, but I was wondering if you'd given any thought to us getting some of the chemical that affected Daniel and Teal'c. I really don't know what else to do – none of the tests show anything but they're not getting any better."

"Are you sure this substance is going to help?" he asked.

"I don't know. If it doesn't – then I really don't know what else to do."

"Doctor, what will be the danger in bringing this stuff back to earth? Can we contain it? The last thing we need is for it to get out and infect all the men at the SGC or beyond."

"I know. I thought about that General. What I was going to suggest is that I take a field lab with me and set it up there and do the tests. I don't feel comfortable about bringing it back either."

"Who are you planning to take with you? I'm afraid they're not going to respond well to a bunch of women but I don't want any more men exposed."

"I agree. I've had an idea Sir. I thought we could take one man – Major Griff maybe? The rest will be women."

"But that's the problem Doctor. They won't allow women near this stuff."

"I know, that's why I was thinking we'd disguise the women as men. You know, we could get a make-up artist in and give us fake beards and heavy eyebrows. If Griff did the speaking we might be able to carry it off."

"Sounds crazy Doctor – but that's never stopped us in the past. Okay, you have a go. Any idea how to find a make-up artist?

"Uh – I've already found one Sir – on the off chance you'd say yes. Cassie's drama teacher is a former professional make-up artist. He's amazing. He'll just need to be given clearance to get into the SGC."

"Okay, give me his name and I'll arrange it. Just make sure no one gives any information away. He can't know anything other than that this is a top secret mission."

"I know Sir. I'll make sure."

"Uh – one question Doctor."

"Yes Sir?"

"How are you going to pass as a man – you're a little …. short." He smiled, looking at the diminutive but fiery doctor.

She grinned back.

"I know General – believe me, I know! But I figure that the men on the planet won't. There are lots of cultures where the men are short. Anyway – I'll wear some tall boots!"

He laughed. "Okay Dr. Frasier. Get your make-up artist and get going. I'll speak with Major Griff. My only condition is I want to see you all before you leave. Somehow the thought of you in a beard cheers me up!"

"All right General – and thank you." Smiling, she left to get ready. She hoped to God this would work.

Teal'c had healed to the point that Dr. Warner decided he could leave. Actually, he really wanted him to leave. They were short staffed with only men being able to look after him and Warner was sick of hearing the vitriol against women pouring out of Teal'c's mouth. Calling security he asked them to please escort Teal'c to the same room as Daniel Jackson.

The security officers had all, at one time or another, engaged in training and combat sessions with Teal'c so they were well aware of how dangerous he could be. As a result, they brought a detail of six of their best trained men. One extra man came along and trailed behind, out of Teal'c's reach but close enough to zat him if he tried to escape.

It was clear to all of them, by simply looking at Teal'c, that he was waiting for any opportunity to make a break for it. They made sure that opportunity never came.

They all breathed a hearty sigh of relief when he was securely locked up.

"Teal'c – you're okay. Thank God!" Daniel stood up and greeted his friend.

"I am fine now Daniel Jackson. My symbiote healed me otherwise Dr. Frasier would have succeeded in killing me."

"Except it was the General who shot you."

"Yes, but only under the influence of the Doctor. I am afraid he is being controlled by them."

"Yeah – I think you're right. What are we going to do Teal'c? We have to get out of here and save Jack. Who knows what Sam is doing to him."

Right then Sam was doing nothing to him. She wasn't even with him. She waited for a long time, praying that he was going to be okay. Surely they wouldn't …..? No, Ba'al was expecting a child of theirs so surely they wouldn't give up so soon?

She wondered that they hadn't figured out artificial insemination yet. That would seem to be easier than trying to get them to … 'Mai'thun'. She laughed at that – why do humans always seem to need to find euphemisms for sex?

Then again, she didn't know how easy or … difficult … it would be to get a 'sample' from Jack without his cooperation. It just wasn't something she had ever really thought about. She grinned to herself – I wonder if they have 'Playgoa'uld' magazines here?

The grin quickly faded, however, as she got back to worrying about the Colonel. Even if they didn't harm him permanently they certainly seemed to like to torture him. The poor man always seemed to be the target of whatever creepy Goa'uld they ran into.

Well, whatever was happening she was going to have a talk with him when he came back. She was really beginning to think they should just go ahead and _**do**_ it. She was on birth control so there'd be no consequences (at least physical ones). She knew it could really screw things up (no pun intended) between her and the Colonel but it was better than dying – or Jack being made a eunuch.

As for Pete – well, she just wouldn't tell him. She knew that was dishonest but it wasn't like she was being unfaithful through desire, just necessity. She ignored the pang of doubt that assailed her at these thoughts.

No, she was tired of seeing the Colonel tortured and her scared to death. She and Jack were just going to Mai'thun and that was the end of it.

It was not a feeling of – anticipation - that had just rushed through her – no it wasn't. It was simply …. relief. Yes, she decided, that's what it was. She was _**relieved**_.

Jack was really, really getting sick of being taken to see this guy. So far, each visit had brought pain or trauma and he didn't want any more. Still, it was better him than Sam. When the priests had said they were going to take her he'd truly panicked. He had to keep her safe; that was his job.

By the time they arrived at the little building Jack could feel the nervous sweat trickling down his back. He knew he was shaking, partly from cold, but mostly from fear. This was not going to be pleasant.

D'jindra was there, again playing with his jars and concoctions. Damn, doesn't the man ever go anywhere?

As they brought Jack into the room the small, evil man looked up, surprise on his face.

"How did it go?" he asked the priests. "I assume he fulfilled his duty?"

"No, my lord, he did not. He said he fell asleep."

There was a long pause – Jack was sure he could feel the malice building in the air.

"Asleep?" the man asked in a creepy, soft voice. "That is not possible. I gave him enough of the Tishra to ensure he would do what he has to do." He turned suddenly to Jack.

"What did you do? Who are you that you can withstand the Tishra? Answer me!"

"Uh – I guess the tissue stuff doesn't work on us Tauri. Don't you understand, you can't force us to do this. It goes against everything we stand for." Jack knew he was talking to thin air but he had to try.

"You would rather be made Tar'hok?"

Jack could feel the blood leave his face. God – if this was the choice he'd rather die. Still, he knew there was nothing, no threat, no pain,that would ever make him rape Sam.

"Of course not", he answered in a rather shaky voice. "Won't Ba'al be angry if you – do that?"

"Well, he won't be as pleased but we can still have a half Tauri child. I will simply have one of the other men impregnate the woman. You, I will make a slave to serve me."

"Chutrak!" he called over to one of the priests. Jack had the weird thought that now at least he knew one of their names – although it wasn't going to do him any good.

"Yes, my lord", answered the one with the braids.

"Find one of the men who looks as close to this one as possible. Take him to the woman and instruct him that he is to Mai'thun with her. He will stay with her until she conceives. Maybe Ba'al will not know. This one", he pointed to Jack, "this one will join your ranks. I can see we will not change his mind. Strap him to the table."

As Janet followed Major Griff down the steps from the gate she prayed that they would find what they were looking for. She was followed by Lieutenant Bigelow, an expert in biological warfare, Captain Andropolis, a chemist and Airman Chavez, a biologist. They were all exceptional in their specific areas and – most important – were all women.

Although to look at them you'd never know it, she laughed to herself. This was the unlikeliest group of Air Force personnel she'd ever seen. Griff, the only clean-shaven one amongst them, couldn't stop grinning every time he looked at his 'team'.

Bigelow had flaming red hair, which was striking on a woman – but right now it, along with the red bushy beard, made her look like ferocioius Viking Warrior of old. Andropolis actually didn't do too badly as a man. She was a tall, stocky woman with dark hair and eyes. The addition of a mustache made her look just like the Greek storekeeper in the neighborhood he'd grown up in. All the neighborhood kids had loved him – he was always handing out treats.

Chavez, well, she wasn't much bigger than Frasier and she was the one the most difficult to pass off as a man. She was a gorgeous Chilean woman and all the men on base had had fantasies about Cristina. Her long black hair, huge eyes and full lips had livened up the dreams of many a soldier on an off-world mission. The fact that she was married and totally faithful and in love with her husband just added to the fantasy.

Right now she looked like a tiny little man and one who was kind of effeminate. Wonder what they'll make of her/him, Griff wondered. He grinned again – this was a mission he'd remember for a long time.

Now Doc Frasier – she took the cake. She was the smallest but somehow did the best as a man. Maybe it was something in her demeanor or attitude. She looked like one of those little guys you really didn't want to mess with because they'd knock your block off and you'd be humiliated that someone so small was so much tougher than you were! Yup, that was Doc Frasier all right – to a tee.

Frasier walked up until she was beside him.

"Great team!" he said. She looked at him suspiciously, not sure of his meaning.

"They're smart", he continued. "If anyone can find the solution it'll be these people."

Janet smiled in return. Yes, they were good – and so was Griff. She'd always liked the man. He was low-keyed but with a real sense of humor. She knew he was a friend of Jack's and that always spoke well of a person. Jack was pretty picky about who he called friend.

"Yeah – they're great. And they've been real troopers about this whole thing. Cristina didn't even blink an eye when we asked her if we could cut her hair off."

"What's Antonio gonna say?" Antonio was her husband of six months.

"Oh, he'll probably be upset but they're still in the honeymoon phase so she'll be able to wrap him around her finger in no time. I'm sure she'll take his mind off it somehow."

They looked at each other and grinned.

"It really sucks doesn't it?" Griff asked. "The way they treat their women; makes you kind of realize what it must have been like years ago. I can't believe any race could treat their women so badly."

"Unfortunately it still happens even on earth." They were both silent, contemplating the horror of people who treated others so badly. They could hear the soft voices of the people behind. All of them were hopeful and yet worried about what was going to happen.

They finally reached the village after walking for just under an hour. Unlike when SG1 had first arrived there was little evidence of people. There were no men in the fields and the buildings almost looked deserted. Just as they were wondering if everyone had left they saw a man exit from one of the small houses. He glanced up, saw the team and stopped.

"Do your stuff Major", Janet spoke softly. She and the other women waited as Griff walked towards the man.

"Greetings" he said pleasantly. "We are friends of those who were here before. We mean you no harm."

"What is it you want?" the man spoke as if he didn't care one way or another.

"Our friends that were here – Daniel and Teal'c – they took part in one of your ceremonies and now they are ill. We've come to discover what it was that affected them and see if we can find a cure."

Although the man looked a bit curious at this, he also looked like he didn't really have the energy or desire to find out more.

"I do not know how this can be done. It does not affect the men of this planet. I do not believe there is a cure." He turned to walk away.

"Uh – excuse me!", Griff called. The man stopped and turned.

"What?"

"May we go and take a look at where the ceremony took place? Maybe we can find something."

"You may go but you will find nothing. Amdahl, or another priest, must be there to perform the ceremony." He again turned.

"Please, is Amdahl here?" The man stopped and nodded. He pointed to one of the other houses and then kept going, clearly not interested in the stranger.

"That was weird", he said to Janet who nodded. They had agreed the women would speak as little as possible.

"I'm gonna go check on this Amdahl. You wait here Doc." She nodded.

Griff walked over and knocked on the door. After a couple of minutes it slowly creeked open.

"Hello", Griff tried to peer into the darkened room. He could only see an outline of someone standing there.

"What do you want?"

"I'm here because my friends, Daniel and Teal'c, attended a ceremony with you. They are now ill and need help. Please, I understand you are the one who can help us."

The door opened wider. The man Griff saw in front of him was unshaved and looked almost ill. Like the first man he'd seen he looked lifeless, as if he didn't care about anything.

"Why should we help you? Your people brought us trouble."

"No – our people had nothing to do with it. In fact, two of our people were taken as well. We are working to bring them back and when we find them we will bring your women and children back as well."

"We do not want them back. They are evil." Normally, these words would have shocked and angered Griff. However, the tone in which they were uttered made him pause. It was almost as if the man thought he had to say that, but didn't really believe it.

"Okay – we'll keep them then." That brought a reaction! The man looked up quickly, anger in his eyes.

"No – they are our women, our children. You will return them."

"You said you didn't want them."

The man – Amdahl - looked like he was struggling with something. He finally closed his eyes and spoke softly.

"We want them back." He almost flinched at that as if expecting to be punished. This was just too weird!

"Okay, good. Now, can you help us? As I told you, our friends are sick and we're trying to figure out why. We are pretty sure it was the ceremony. We'd like to examine the room and the substance that was used. May we do that?"

Amdahl stood staring, again with a lifeless look on his face. Finally, he took a deep breath,

"I suppose it would be fine. It doesn't really matter now – the evil has gone. Only the old ones are left." He glanced at the other 'men' who were waiting behind Griff.

"Will they come as well?"

"Yes, they are the ones who understand these things." Amdahl just nodded.

"I will get my things and then I will come. No one else needs to be there. There is no reason anymore."

The man went back in his house and returned carrying a cloak and nothing more. He began walking out of the village, not even looking to see if the visitors were following. The members of the team all glanced at each other wondering what was going on. Amdahl's behavior was odd, to say the least.

As they trudged toward the temple Griff attempted to speak with the native man to try and find out what was happening. He finally began to speak, although with difficulty.

"Our whole lives we were taught that women were the evil amongst us – necessary but only to be tolerated. Then they were taken from us. We knew we should rejoice – but things are not better. Things are worse. We can no longer function as a village. The men are frightened, lost. It was supposed to be paradise without the women – instead it is hell."

Janet looked over and raised her (now very bushy) eyebrows. This was interesting but she wasn't sure what it meant for Daniel and Teal'c.

"But maybe it is because some women still remain?" Amdahl spoke, looking as if a revelation had occurred. "Maybe we are to get rid of the others – then we will be happy."

Oh God, she thought – what if they decided to kill the remaining women? She looked at the others who all had the same expressions of shock on their faces.

"Would you like us to take them away?" Griff asked. Janet looked at him approvingly – yes, that might work.

Amdahl looked indecisive. One the one hand, that would follow his teachings – on the other, the idea of no women scared the hell out of him.

"I will ask the other men. It must be a decision for all." Yes, he wasn't going to take full responsibility for this. Let everyone share it.

They arrived at the temple and the team saw what Daniel and Teal'c had seen – which wasn't a lot. Janet didn't have any idea, nor did she care, about the origins or creaters of the temple. All she wanted was to find a cure for her guys.

"Amdahl", Griff stopped the man. "I'm gonna stay out here" (this is what had been decided by Hammond when he'd given permission for them to go). "My job is to protect my team; they're the experts and will go with you."

"All right." He turned and looked at the rest of the strange group. He didn't know why, but they were the oddest men he'd seen – especially the red-headed one. He motioned for them to follow and then walked into the temple.

"Sit on the couches. Do you wish me to do the ceremony?" He wasn't sure who to ask now that the other man was outside.

They had agreed that, if need be, Andropolis would do the speaking for them. She had the deepest voice and could pass as a man much easier than the others.

"If you could simply tell us what the ceremony entails that would be helpful. Then, if we could, we would like a small sample of the substance you used."

Amdahl looked at the men carefully. He had never had such a request before and was uncertain if this was something he should be allowing. As long as there were no women present, however, he figured he would be okay.

"Fine. I will tell you of the ceremony first." He sat on one of the other couches and began to speak, staring off into space as if trying to remember everything.

"It is said that many, many years ago – long before my time – the world almost came to an end. The women of the village became haughty and proud, wanting power and glory for themselves. Their greed and their selfishness brought a plague on the village which killed many, many people. But, the women did not stop. They kept their anger, their hatred and the plague continued. Then one day, a savior came. A great light appeared from the sky and a temple appeared on earth. From the temple came twelve men, all dressed in white.

They spoke to the men of the village, telling them that the plague was caused by the hatred and greed of the women. For the village to be saved, the evil had to be seen and destroyed – or at least kept under control. Our people did not know how to do that but the wise saviors showed us how." He turned and looked at Andropolis.

"They gave us these jars", he pointed to the table at the front of the room, "and told us to come here, once a month and open the jars. They then taught us the words we were to say and their meaning. Finally, when we knew the words, they opened the jars and spoke them once more. Afterwards we could see the evil – we understood that it was the women among us. We had to keep them in control and one day, we would be free of them." He bowed his head and stayed silent for a moment. Amdahl then lifted his head and addressed all the 'men'.

"We kept them with us as we needed them but now – now it must be time to get rid of the evil." He then spoke softly, to himself. "but I didn't think it would be so hard."

"Come, I will teach you the words." He proceeded to repeat the words for the team, explaining their meaning. All of them had a hard time appearing interested without letting their fury show. What they were hearing was beyond sickening. It made each of them want to run back to the village and castrate the whole damn lot of them!

"Now that you know the words, I will open the jars."

"Wait", Janet spoke. The man looked at her in surprise – her voice was rather high-pitched.

"Sorry", she said, immediately lowering her voice. "I don't think you should open it yet. We have brought masks. After our friends got sick we worried that maybe this is harmful to people of our village."

Amdahl nodded, not sure what to make of these people but willing to go along with it for now. He waited for them to pull out very strange looking masks and gloves. When they were done he moved to the jars and opened the lids.

Bigelow was the first to approach. She took out some equipment and trapped some of the smoke as it left the jar. She turned and walked away, already working on a number of tests. The others followed quickly, taking samples and beginning their investigation. Janet was the last to approach. Glancing at Amdahl she silently asked approval to pick up one of the jars. He quickly shook his head but did let her touch it – just not lift it.

She tried to look inside the jar but could see nothing with the smoke pouring out. She then squatted down and tried to look at the jar from all angles, to see if there was anthing she could notice. She looked at each jar but they all looked the same. It was only as she glanced down, to the table, that she realized something. It was a pedestal table with one thick base underneath, rather than four legs. She carefully reached out and tapped the pedestal. It was hollow – or at least not solid. She rested her hands against it and could feel a warmth and a vibration coming from it. If she wasn't mistaken, something was coming up through the base and out of the jars. There must be something underground.

"Amdahl", she asked in a gruff voice. "do you refill the jars between ceremonies?"

"No!" he looked shocked. "It is always this way. It is holy – the wise ones left it for us."

"Okay, thanks." She went back to examining it. How was she going to find out what was down there with Amdahl present.

"Excuse me", she stood up. "I need to tell Griff something." When he looked confused she continued, "that is the man who first spoke with you." He nodded.

Janet made her way out of the room, leaving the other women with Amdahl. She took of her mask and gloves and left them in the front of the temple. When she found Griff she kept away from him.

"I think there's a chamber or something under the ceremonial table. Do you think you could scout around and see if you can find anything? Be careful though, it might be protected."

"No problem Doc, be glad to. Keep me from getting' bored."

"Okay – but remember – I don't want any excitement. I like being bored. It means everyone is safe and healthy!"

"Sure thing Doc", he grinned. "I'll be careful – don't worry." He then headed off to see if he could find anything.

She returned to the room to see her team busy at work. She knew that the people she'd brought with her were much more expert that she was in this so instead of looking at the substance she continued to wander around the building.

Eventually she came back to the couches and sat on one of them. Her mind began to wander and she thought of Jack and Sam and how they were making out. It would be horrible if they never found them.

As she sat thinking her hand began to aimlessly wander over the couch. Her fingers suddenly came into contact with something hard under the top cushion. Curious, she scooted down beside it and lifted it slightly. She could see some kind of tube running out from underneath. Beside that it looked like some kind of electronic control.

What the hell? This was more than some simple smoke. There were a bunch of things going on here.

"Amdahl", she called in her 'man' voice. "Come here for a minute." He stood up and walked to where she was kneeling beside the couch.

"Do you know what this is?" She pointed to the tube and the control.

He looked totally shocked. In all his years doing the ceremony he'd never seen this.

He simply shook his head.

"Can you tell me if there is anything else you do in the ceremony? Anything other than the words and opening the jars."

He looked at her in confusion for a minute but finally spoke. "The only other thing is I pass my hand over the sun."

"Over the sun? How do you do that?" She looked but could see no windows where anyone could see the sun.

"No, over here." He stood up and led her to the front table. It was only then that she saw the carving in the table. He was right, it looked like a sun – and was inlaid with some kind of shiny metal that could have been gold.

"You wave your hand over this? What happens then?"

"Nothing – I mean I then open the jars and continue to speak – that is all."

"Okay, thank you." She turned to find the others all looking at her. They'd noticed something was up.

"I may have found something else. Chavez, can you stand by the couch and see what happens when I put my hand over this? Bigelow, you too – but you can take a sample if anything comes out. Andropolis – you keep an eye on all of us – make sure nothing happens."

Bigelow and Andropolis both answered a quick 'Yes Sir'. Unfortunately, Chavez said "Yes Ma'am". As soon as the words left her mouth she looked stricken. Janet glanced quickly at Amdahl but apparently he hadn't noticed, still intrigued by what she'd found.

Chavez gave a tiny frown of apology but Janet just waved her to the couch to observe. Once everyone was in place she put her hand over the sun carving. At first, nothing happened. It took almost a minute but a thin stream of something exited the tube. It was clear – Bigelow could only tell by the feel, not the sight. She quickly took a sample.

What was more interesting was the glow that started on the device beside the tube. It clearly was emitting some kind of electronic pulse. Janet watched for a second. Something was in the back of her mind. She had a feeling she was getting closer to the answer.

"All right. I think that's all for now." Janet turned to Amdahl. "Thank you so much for showing us this. If it's all right with you we'd like to stay on you p … in your village, for another day or so to study what we've found. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that is fine. Unfortunately I cannot offer you the hospitality of my home. My .. wife is gone and I cannot ..." He actually sounded forlorn. This was a switch.

Probably just sad he's got to do his own cooking and cleaning, thought Janet cynically.

By the time they left the temple, putting their masks and gloves in a biohazard bag and washing themselves using strong medical wipes, they made their way outside. Griff was sitting calmly on the grass, looking as if he hadn't moved since they arrived.

They all walked back towards the village, none of them speaking very much. Just outside the village Griff stopped and turned towards the native man.

"Thank you. I think we'll set up camp here. We appreciate all you've done for us. We're simply going to study the results. And remember – if you want us to take the women the offer's still open."

Amdahl nodded and began to walk away, but suddenly stopped. Turning to Griff he asked, "Why would you want our women? Do you not fear the evil?"

Griff glanced at his teammates, hoping they'd forgive him. "Well, we're rather short of women on – in my village. We need them to cook and clean and have children. We have figured out a way to counteract the evil so it doesn't affect us."

"Really? What do you do?" The man actually sounded excited, for the first time that day.

"Uh it's called chocolate. Works wonders!" He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw that Janet was either really mad or was trying not to laugh – either way he knew he'd never hear the end of this.

'Maybe when you return you can bring us some of the 'choc – o -late'?" Amdahl asked pleadingly.

"Of course – we'd be glad to."

Satisfied, the man turned and walked to his village. Maybe they'd find the answer through the help of these strangers.

Griff slowly turned back and looked at the others. They were all, to a woman, glaring at him, hands on their hips.

"Hey – I had to make it sound real. I was trying to help those women. You know I don't mean it." He sounded quite defensive.

The women all burst out laughing. "Chocolate, Major?" Janet asked.

Griff grinned – "Hey it always works for my wife. Makes her much happier – and when she's happy –"

"You're happy", they all chorused together.

"Yup!"

Once they'd set up camp they all sat around the fire and after a little bit of 'chit chat' (mostly complaining about their fake facial hair and chest straps) they began comparing notes. Griff told them that he'd found some kind of entrance way - a metal cover - hidden in the grass over by a copse of trees. There was no way to open it and it didn't look like anyone had touched it for years. He felt it might be significant, as did Janet. She hadn't said much the whole evening but sat deep in thought. The others eventually noticed and it was Chavez who finally asked.

"Dr. Frasier? You okay?"

She lifted her head slowly and looked at her teammates.

"I think I may know what's going on."

"Okay, okay, I'll cooperate." Jack cried in desperation. He was terrified, literally shaking, over the thought of what they were going to do. He didn't know how he would have reacted if it was just the threat to him – he hoped that he would do anything to save Sam – but the fact was it wasn't just him that was in danger. They were planning on having some stranger rape her until she got pregnant. He couldn't let that happen.

As much as he hated the thought of what it meant for him – for the two of them – at least he'd show her tenderness and consideration. In fact, she'd never know it of course, but he'd make love to her _**with love**_. Of course, it would still be rape and he'd never forgive himself – but hopefully it wouldn't be quite so bad for her as if it were a stranger.

D'jindra looked at him triumphantly. "I knew the threat of Tar'hok would ensure your cooperation. You are not as brave as you made out Tauri!"

Jack laughed to himself. These guys had no idea of loyalty or sacrifice. There was no way they'd ever suspect that he was doing this for Sam, not for himself (okay, be honest here O'Neill, you're definitely gonna benefit as well. The thought of 'singin' soprano' definitely didn't appeal).

"Uh – there's just one thing." He figured he'd give it a try.

"What?" D'jindra asked impatiently.

"The women – and the men – on my world don't ever 'Mai'thun' without going through a 'courting' time. In fact, without that a woman can't get pregnant. Our physiologies prevent that unless the couple is 'joined'. That can take time."

"How much time", the gnome asked suspiciously.

"Uh sometimes three or four months."

"What! You lie. You are saying this to avoid your duty."

"No, no. It's the truth. Look, you can even check her out" (forgive me Sam!). She'd not fertile right now – she can't get pregnant. Not until we go through the joining."

"What does this 'joining' entail?" Oh please, thought Jack. please buy this!

"The man and woman are left alone in a house or cabin - uh house in the woods – they get to know each other, to fall in love. Once that happens they go through a ceremony and then, afterward, they can 'Mai'thun'. Then, the woman can get pregnant." Okay – pretty unlikely but there are a lot of weird people out there.

"Left alone? Completely alone?"

"Ye –eees. Except they're provided food, drink, etc. but no outside interference. That way they can fall in love and uh 'join'". If D'jindra bought this maybe they'd be given enough time to either figure a way out or be rescued.

"We will examine the woman. Peltrak!" (okay, so now he knew both their names). "Go and get the woman and bring her here." He turned back to Jack.

"If you are telling the truth I will give you two months. After that time you will fulfill your duty or I will intervene. If you lie, you will do Mai'thun – or I will carry out my earlier threat."

Jack knew there was little more he could say or do. If this didn't work, he and Sam would simply have to go ahead and do it. He just hoped these perverts didn't expect to watch.

A few minutes later Peltrak walked in leading Sam. She was carefully wrapped in the blanket but looked frightened. As soon as she caught sight of Jack she breathed a sigh of relief. He looked okay.

"So, this is the woman? She is a bit old but very beautiful. I understand why My Lord Matsya wants the two of you to breed. You will have stunning children for my Lord Ba'al." He turned to Sam. "Lie on the table."

She looked at Jack, fear in her eyes. What was going on?

"I'm sorry Sam – they want to check you out to see if you're …. Uh … fertile. You see, I told them about the fact that we can't Mai'thun and you can't get pregnant until the courting period and joining is done. I explained that Tauri women are infertile until that time."

She instantly turned to D'jindra. "That is true. Did you not know that about Tauri women? That is why you could not force us to … do our duty." God he loved her, thought Jack, she's so brilliant and caught on right away.

"Lie down", the sadistic Goa'uld loving gnome of a pervert, repeated. He was clearly thrown by all this and that made him angry.

"What are you going to do?" she asked. Jack knew the quaver in her voice was real.

"See if what this man says is true. NOW LIE DOWN!" he shouted. With a look at Jack she sat on the table, carefully holding the blanket around her. D'jindra walked up and fiercely pulled it off, leaving her naked and vulnerable. Jack glanced around and saw that the priests and D'jindra were all learing at her. He wanted to rip their eyes out. If the priests handed already lost them he would also have torn off their balls.

He didn't know whether to look at Sam or not. He knew this would be horribly traumatic for her and didn't want to add to that. When he heard a distressed 'squeak' coming from her he glanced over and saw she was desperately looking at him. He gave her a small, encouraging smile and kept eye contact with her – offering her all his love and support.

As D'jindra continued his exam he could see tears form in her eyes and begin to fall. He wanted to rush over and kill the man and then take her in his arms. All he could do was continue to look at her.

It was finally over. Whatever equipment he'd used must have shown the truth. He turned to Sam.

"What the man says is true. You are not fertile. I have told him I will give you two months and then you will work to conceive the child. If you do not I have already informed this one" he gestured toward Jack, "that I will give you to another man and he will be made Tar'hok."

By her expression she was either terrified of the thought of being given to some other man – or she knew what Tar'hok meant. Probably both, he figured.

As D'jindra stepped back he was finally able to approach the table. Continuing to look Sam in the eye he gently reached down and covered her with the blanket. He could see she was shaking. He helped her sit up and then put his arm around her.

"So, what now?" he asked their captor.

"Now you will be taken to a house and locked in. You will be provided with food and water but nothing else. In two months we will come for you and check the woman. If she is fertile then it will be time for you to be" he grinned evilly, "joined".

He looked over to the two priests who were looking seriously disappointed. They were either missing the show or didn't like the fact that Jack and Sam had been given a reprieve.

"Take them to the small house that used to belong to Mithrad. They are to have nothing but food and water. Make sure they have no clothes", he laughed. "They will get to know each other better that way." He looked over at the two Tauri, "I will see you in two months." With that he began to fiddle with his potions once more, clearly losing interest in the human captives.

Jack and Sam were led to the opposite end of the compound. Sitting all alone, separated from all the other buildings, was a tiny house. It couldn't have more than one room at the most.

Chiclet – or was it Tic Tac – he couldn't tell the difference – spoke.  
"This belonged to Mithrad. He was First Prime to My Lord Matsya until he was unfaithful. My Lord had his arms and legs cut off and he was left as food for the dogs. No one has lived here since." On that happy note he opened the door and motioned for Sam and Jack to enter. As they passed the two priests reached out and grabbed the blankets, pulling them off.

"Hey – we're gonna get cold."

"Then you can warm each other." The priests laughed.

The door closed and both Jack and Sam could hear it being locked. They glanced at each other and then away. Looking at the room they saw a table, two chairs, a bed and nothing else. This was going to be a long couple of months!


	10. Confessions

**_Sorry folks - this is a repost. For some reason the site didn't accept my edits and uploaded the unproofed copy. Please ignore the last one._**

Actually, as Jack's eyes had become accustomed to the darkness in the room he realized there were a few things he missed on first glance. At the back of the room was a door – that would have be be investigated. He also noted that there were various cupboards in what looked like a small kitchen. At least there was a pump and a table. He figured poor old Mithrad had had to have some amenities as the First Prime.

Without looking at Sam he walked across the room to check what was behind the door. To say he felt self-conscious was an understatement. He only hoped the Major was not looking at him saunter, cheeks in full view, across the room.

He opened the door and sighed in relief. Well, that was one thing they didn't have to worry about.

"What is it Colonel?"

"Bathroom", he answered succinctly. "Primitive but all there. Looks like a toilet and bath, although whether there's any hot water I don't know. At least we'll have some privacy."

Thank God, she thought. The last few days had been extremely awkward in the bathroom department. Although fortunately, she'd spent a lot of years on missions with the guys so it hadn't been as bad as it would be for many women.

The Colonel closed the door and walked back into the main room. She carefully kept her eyes averted but wondered how in the world they were going to do that for the next two months. Oh well, she supposed they'd just get used to it after a while. Lots of people go to nudist camps and, after a while, it doesn't mean a thing.

Jack had to walk past Sam to get to the 'kitchen' and had to work hard not to look at her. This was going to be difficult, he thought. He stepped up and began opening the various cupboards.

"Looks like all Mithrad's stuff is here. There might actually be some things we can use." Not only were there dishes and pots and pans there were also some simple tools.

"Bingo!" Jack said, relief in his voice. He'd found some clothes. Unfortunately it only looked like one set but at least it would offer some modesty. Pulling them out he realized there was a simple leather tunic and leather pants. There was also a pair of what must have been Jaffa underwear. Grimacing, he took a quick sniff. He wasn't going to wear – or ask Sam to wear – someone's dirty underwear. Fortunately it smelled clean, if a little musty.

"Here", he tossed the underwear and tunic to Sam. "At least it'll give us something to wear. The tunic will be long enough so it'll be like a short dress." The thought of that was quite pleasing although he'd never say that; not if he valued his life.

He took the pants for himself.

"Great! Leather, my favorite." He held them up and realized they were going to be quite small on him which was surprising. Most First Primes seemed to be big. He remembered the last time he wore leather pants, when he was a guest of Ba'al and he remembered the Jaffa. They had all been huge. He'd actually felt small in comparison.

"Don't like leather Sir?" He could hear Sam struggling to get the tunic on.

"No – reminds me of those creepy guys with mustaches who thought they were God's gift to women. You know the type, they'd always leave their shirts unbuttoned too low and wore chains –" He stopped suddenly and looked down – damn, who was he to talk!

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Sam spoke as if she hadn't noticed his sudden silence. "They're the kind that would always come up to you in a bar and say some smarmy pick up line. They always smelt as if they'd bathed in cologne. My girlfriends and I figured they must have a small –"

This time it was Sam's turn to stop dead. She couldn't believe the topic of conversation – or that she was even saying these things to her CO.

"Small …. what, Major?" She looked up and saw the Colonel grinning at her. He was dressed in a pair of too small, but very sexy looking leather pants. She had a fleeting thought that they could get very uncomfortable!

"Uh small – bank accounts?"

"If you say so Major." Sam looked quite amazing in the tunic. It came down midway between her knees and uh, upper thighs. He could see a tiny bit of white sticking out, clearly from the Jaffa's 'fruit of the looms'.

"Looking good Major", he smiled at her. She smiled right back.

"Thank you Sir. You don't look so bad yourself." Yup, very sexy.

"Well, at least we have clothes. The thought of being Adam and Eve for the next couple of months really didn't appeal."

"No, although we do have our own resident snake."

He barked a laugh – "That we do." He looked down at himself in the pants; they were incredibly tight and about three inches too short. He kind of felt like Captain Kirk!

"Only problem with these is they may hinder the plan."

"Hinder the plan Sir?" she asked, clearly confused.

"Yeah, if they want me to produce any little 'Tauri' these are definitely not a good idea."

She giggled, she couldn't help herself, even though she did feel sympathetic.

"Hey, no giggling Major. Believe me, if you were a man you would definitely not be happy like this."

"I know Colonel. I'm sorry – it's just that it feels good to be able to joke around. I'm feeling so relieved I think I'm kind of giddy."

He took a deep breath and walked up to her. Taking her arms he drew her to him in a 'Jack O'Neill special hug' (the world's best kind).

"I know Sam. I'm sorry about all this. If there was anything I could do I would." He rested his head on top of hers. She realized, at that moment, how much he took his responsibilities to heart. Even though this whole thing wasn't his fault in any way, he would feel like the blame was his.

"There's nothing to be sorry about Sir. You're the one that thought this up." she gestured to the room. "It's given us some breathing space so maybe we can figure out a way to get out of here. At least we don't have to worry for awhile about what that, that_** creep**_ is going to do to us."

He laughed a little at that. "You're right. I think we need to relax a little and then start thinking of a plan of action. Let me finish looking in these cupboards to see if I can find some bedding and then we can rest." He turned and grimaced. He was definitely going to have to find a solution to the pants before the old family jewels were well and truly crushed!

Dr. Warner was exhausted. First there'd been the problem of the 'woman-hating' Teal'c, then Janet had gone off world, and now SG4 and SG9 had both run into trouble. Fortunately no one was critically injured but there'd been broken bones, soldiers requiring stitches and, in two cases surgery. All he wanted to do was collapse but he had to stay on duty tonight. He just hoped Janet would return soon.

He had just put his head down on the cot, hoping to catch a few winks, when Nurse Cooper stuck her head in.

"Dr Warner, I'm sorry. You're needed. Jenks in Security says the Dr. Jackson is asking for you."

"Hell", he answered, swinging his legs over the side of the cot. "What could he want now? Probably wants to tell me how women caused World War I and II." Sighing he stood up.

"Thanks Lieutenant. I'll go see what the problem is. Make sure no one steals my bed!"

"No Sir", she smiled. They all liked Dr. Warner and felt for him right now. "I'll make sure."

Warner walked slowly down to the security wing. He really hoped they could find a solution to this problem. It's not like there wasn't enough to worry about with O'Neill and Carter missing. Both of them were well liked and respected and the entire base was feeling the stress.

It was more than that, though, the Doctor realized. Soldiers were often a supersticious lot and SG1 had somehow come to signify Earth's hope against the Goa'uld and other alien threats. As long as they were okay, there was a feeling that Earth would triumph. Now, there was a general feeling of doom beginning to pervade the base. Warner thought he should say something to General Hammond, although he figured the wiley commander was already aware of the problem.

He arrived at Jackson and Teal'c's cell and nodded to the guard on duty.

"What's the problem?" he asked the young SF.

"Dr. Jackson says he doesn't know why they're in there, that he can't remember. He asked to speak with Dr. Frasier but I told him she was off-world so I suggested you." He reached over with his swipe card and opened the door.

"Thanks Airman. I'll take it from here." He started to walk into the cell.

"With all due respect Sir, I should watch just in case …."

"Okay fine." Warner strode into the room. "What seems to be the problem Dr. Jackson, Teal'c" He looked at the two men who were looking confused and upset (although it was more Jackson than Teal'c who looked his usual stoic self).

"Why are we here Dr. Warner? What's going on?" Daniel asked, speaking quickly.

"Don't you know?"

"No, all I know is is I suddenly woke up and I was in a cell with Teal'c here. The guards wouldn't tell me anything and they said that Janet was off-world. I then asked to speak with Jack or Sam but was told they 'weren't available'. What the hell does that mean and what's going on."

"Teal'c, do you have any memory of what happened?"

"No Dr. Warner, I do not. I too woke up and was here with no recollection of what had transpired. Can you not tell us?"

"Let me first ask the two of you, what is the last thing you _**do**_ remember?"

Daniel frowned in thought. "I remember Jack telling Teal'c and me to go to that ceremony on P – whatever the hell that planet is. He said he'd stay back and watch Sam. We were worried about what they might do to her. They were a bunch of woman haters on that planet. It was awful."

"Yes indeed", agreed Teal'c. "It was very distressing. I have not seen men who treat their women quite so badly."

"Okay, so do you remember the ceremony itself?"

"Uh, I remember being worried about what it would entail – I mean Teal'c talked about an orgy and I … uh … was a little concerned since there weren't any women present. I spoke to the head guy. What was his name again Teal'c?"

"Amdahl."

"Yes, that's right, Amdahl. Anyway, he told us we didn't have to participate if we didn't want to. Then I remember sitting on some couches and he started to speak. The next thing I knew I was in here. Please Dr. Warner, what's happened."

"I'll tell you in just a minute." The Doctor turned toward the security guard. "I think we're okay now Airman. Just give me a few minutes alone. I'll knock when I'm ready to go."

"Are you sure Sir?" the SF asked worriedly. He'd seen a lot of tricks in his time.

"I'm sure. I doubt very much whether Teal'c or Dr. Jackson are going to attack me."

"Good God no!", exclaimed Daniel. "Okay, you're really creeping me out here Doctor. Can't you just tell us what's happening."

"I will, I promise. I just need you to answer some questions for me okay?"

"Okay", muttered Daniel.

Teal'c frowned, obviously not happy, but bowed his head in agreement.

"Can you tell me a little about Dr. Carter?"

"Sam? Why would you want to know that?"

"Please Dr. Jackson, just tell me some things about her. I'll explain in a moment."

"Okay. Sam is a Doctor of Astrophysics, she's –"

"I meant something a little more personal. Tell me about your relationship with Dr. Carter."

"Relationship?" Daniel asked, frowning. What in hell was Warner implying?

"Sam is my friend and my collegue. We've worked together for years and she's like a sister to me – the sister I never had. She'd smart, beyond smart! She's funny; you'd never know it to talk to her but she's got a wicked sense of humor. In fact, she reminds me of Jack in that way. The two of them will burst out laughing at the weirdest things – I often can't even figure out what they find so funny!" He looked to Warner, wondering if this was what he was wanting.

"Do you trust her?"

"Trust her? Trust _**Sam**_? I'd trust her with my life – no, I'd trust her with everyone's life. She's a remarkable person. Is there anything else you need to know?"

"No Dr. Jackson, that's fine. Now Teal'c, can you tell me about Dr. Frasier?"

Teal'c looked at him with no expression but again he nodded. "Dr. Frasier is a fine medic. She is very smart and understands much about humans and, if fact, about many others including Jaffa. She has been responsible, on many occasions, for saving my life and that of SG1. She is also a formidable warrior. I have great respect for Dr. Frasier. I also consider her a friend."

Dr. Warner heaved a sigh of relief. Whatever it was had obviously warn off. They'd wondered if that would happen. There was no way either man would have been able to fake it. They had appeared almost physically sick anytime women were even mentioned.

"Okay Doctor, we did what you asked, now it's your turn. What happened and why are we here."

Warner spent the next 15 minutes telling the two members of SG1 exactly what had happened. When they heard that O'Neill and Carter had been taken they both looked shocked and then angry.

"What's being done about it?" Daniel wanted to know. "Does Hammond have teams out looking?"

The Doctor explained that everything possible was being looked into but that they really didn't even have anywhere to start. He did tell them that they had figured out who had done it; that it was a Goa'uld named Matsya.

"The fish god? Why in the world would he kidnap Jack and Sam and the women?"

"There is a legend, Daniel Jackson, that Matsya was responsible for 'new life'. He was the one who provided new hosts to the Goa'uld. Maybe this is the reason."

"Oh God, do you mean that Sam and Jack have been turned into hosts?"

"That is possible, although my understanding is that the hosts are usually very young. I do not know why they would have been taken."

Daniel turned back to the Doctor. "We have to get out of here. We have to help Sam and Jack. Please Doctor, let us go."

"You'll have to wait for permission from General Hammond I'm afraid."

"Call him now. He'll let us go on your recommendation and then we can help find our friends."

"I'm sorry, it's the middle of the night. The General's home in bed. Why don't you just relax here and in the morning you can get out.

"Doctor, have you seen these cots? And the lights? Do you have any idea how impossible it is to rest in here? Please, you can restrict us to our rooms but we would really like to get out of here."

Warner considered them for a moment. He was thoroughly convinced they were okay so could see no harm in it.

"I tell you what, I'll arrange for you to share a VIP suite. That'll be a bit more comfortable but I'll insist that a guard be posted."

"That will be fine, Dr. Warner", Teal'c solemnly agreed.

The Doctor knocked on the door of the cell, hoping he'd done the right thing. He explained to the Security officer who objected, but who couldn't do much. The Doc was a superior officer. He did accompany Jackson and Teal'c to the VIP room and arranged for a guard. Shaking his head, he walked away. Warner returned to his cot, hoping to get a couple of hours of sleep.

Daniel and Teal'c sat, speaking quietly to each other. After about a half an hour Daniel stood up and knocked urgently on the door. The guard opened it.

"What is it Dr. Jackson?"

"It's Teal'c. I think something's wrong. He's passed out." Daniel pointed to the floor where Teal'c lay in a heap. The guard rushed over, knelt down and felt for Teal'c's pulse. That was the last thing he remembered for a long time.

"Very well done Daniel Jackson." Teal'c stood up and looked at his friend who was still holding the lamp with which he'd 'bashed' the guard.

"Thanks Teal'c. Didn't like to do it but we've gotta get out of here. The men are obviously still under the control of the women. We've got to get out of here and find Sam and force her to tell us how to stop this."

"What if she won't?"

Daniel paused and then grinned. "Then we'll just have to kill her."

Jack and Sam made up the bed with the sheets and blankets they'd discovered. Again, things were a bit musty but clean. Right now Jack wasn't about to complain. After the last few days just having a few basic things seemed like heaven. In fact, the little house was quite well equipped as far as day-to-day living was concerned.

"There, that's done. Anything else we can do to fix this place up?" He looked around but there was was really nothing more they could do. They had discovered, to their delight, that they had both hot and cold water. Sam figured it came from a hot spring underground but, whatever the source, it meant they could bathe. He'd miss having a shower but it was better than nothing, especially since they were going to be living in such close quarters.

Now that was really the issue here. How they were going to do this without killing each other – or falling into bed and 'Mai'thuning' each other - was the question. They'd have to discuss setting some rules for living together. He still couldn't believe he'd actually suggested this. He was either an idiot or a masochist!

"Sam/Colonel", they both spoke at once.

"You go first Carter." When she didn't speak but just stood there, looking nervous he spoke. "What is it?"

"Uh – I was just wondering – how we were going to manage this? We're going to be living awfully close and I'm just worried – uh …." She looked too embarrassed to continue.

"You're just wondering how you're going to keep from killing me right?" She looked slightly shocked, but, if he read her right, also as if she was thinking just that. She must expect that he'd be hard to live with. He knew he could be difficult but he also knew he was a different person at home than at work.

"Look Sam", he stopped. "Come here", he sat on the bed and patted the space beside him. "I think we need to discuss this. I know it's not going to be easy but we can do it. We've got a relatively comfortable place with a bathroom no less!" he said in triumph. She had to laugh but agree.

"Living so closely, there will be times we'll get on each other's nerves; that's just human nature. So let's figure some things out so we don't end up killing each other." He smiled and turned a bit more towards her.

"Look, I know you're worried that I'll be a pain in the butt. But don't forget Sam, I was married and I do know what it's like to live with someone – I don't mean _**live together **_like a married couple" now he appeared flustered, "but all about sharing space. Sara could tell you that I was pretty easy to live with; although she did threaten to kill me for leaving the toilet seat up. So you see, there's really no problem. We don't have a toilet seat here." He looked at her in triumph, as if that solved all their problems.

She looked up at that and lifted her eyebrows. Yeah, he knew there was more to it than that but they'd just have to take it one day at a time.

The first few days were difficult. They 'tip-toed' around one another, so worried about bothering the other one that they ended up driving each other crazy. It was 'sorry Sir', this and "is that okay Major?' that. It was almost as if they were two complete strangers who had been thrown together instead of friends and comrades of many years standing.

It was on the fifth day that things finally broke. Jack insisted that he do the dishes. He still was feeling guilty and tried to do as much as he could to take any burden off of Sam. There was not very much cooking; most of the food was delivered to them cooked, although they did get some fresh food.

After supper Sam had stood up to wash when Jack reached over and told her he'd do them.

"It's okay Sir, I don't mind."

"No, you go sit down Major, I'll finish here."

"No Sir, really, I can do it."

"I know you can Major – but so can I. You go rest."

That did it! That absolutely, positively did it.

"REST!" she screamed. "What the hell do you think I've been doing for days Colonel? All I've been doing is resting. At least this gives me some variety. Can't _**you**_ bloody well rest and let me do something for a change? You won't let me do a damn thing and it's driving me crazy. I'm not an invalid. I want to wash the damn dishes!"

She stood there glaring at him, wearing nothing but a short little leather tunic, holding a dish rag, eyes flashing fire. As he stared back at her he could tell when the realization hit her that she'd just yelled at her commanding officer. Her expression changed from fury to guilt to apprehension in all of five seconds. She stood there totally still, waiting to be reprimanded and probably yelled at in return.

He took a deep breath and then burst out laughing. In fact, he laughed so hard he could barely breathe. He had to finally bend over and grab his knees to keep himself from falling over. He attempted to speak a number of times but every time he did another bout of laughter would hit.

After a few minutes of hysteria he was finally able to look up. As soon as he saw Sam's beat red, furious face the laughter started again.

It took a while but eventually he calmed down enough to speak.

"I'm sorry Sam", he hiccupped. "I'm not laughing at you, really, just at the situation. I can't believe it took you this long", he chuckled. "I would have killed me three days ago." She began to look puzzled.

"You don't have to worry, I'm not mad. In fact, I can't remember enjoying anything so much in a long time. If you could only have seen yourself telling me you wanted to do the 'damn dishes'"

He turned around and pulled a chair out and sat down. Gesturing for her to sit down as well he began to speak.

"Look, you had a total right to chew my butt out. I'm feeling guilty for this whole situation so I was trying to do something to feel less guilty. I guess doing the dishes isn't really going to cut it!" He was sure he heard a very soft 'ya think', but couldn't be sure.

"Colonel, you don't have anything to feel guilty about." She looked up at him, trying to decide whether to continue. Finally, with resolution in her eyes she asked "Sir, permission to speak freely?"

"Of course Sam, you don't need to ask." But of course she did, he realized. They were still behaving as commander and subordinate – and that was the problem. This situation made that very difficult.

"Sir, you have to stop feeling guilty. It really doesn't help." Oooh, that was a bit harsh, he thought but, when he considered it realized it was also true. "What we need to do is look forward and figure a way out of here."

"Sam, I am sorry – not for getting us into this, because you're right, it wasn't anything I did, it was just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. But I _**am**_ sorry for letting this situation go on too long. This isn't going to work if I spend my time feeling guilty and if you spend your time tiptoeing around me because I'm your CO. So, from this moment forward I am declaring this a 'military-free zone.' From now on I'm Jack and you can yell and scream at me all you want and I promise I'll let you do the dishes everyday from now on. I promise that what happens here stays here – you know, what happens in Las Mithrad, stays in Las Mithrad!"

She smiled at that but looked kind of worried. Without the military protocol she was really frightened as to where they could end up.

As it was, it turned out pretty well. They organized a routine that helped them get through the day. The Col- no, _**Jack**_ was a man with a lot of energy and he would start to get antsy, and drive her crazy, if he didn't get enough activity so they developed an exercise routine. It was hard, at first, as there wasn't a lot of room, but Jack turned out to be quite inventive and turned their little room into a gym by using various utensils they found. Although she was active herself, and quite fit, she really felt herself growing even more so under Jack's 'training'.

In return, she taught him yoga. At first, he resisted, positive that it was some kind of mystic eastern crap. When she showed him how difficult some of the positions were, but also how good it could make him feel, he became a convert. At first he found it hard. He was extremely fit, but also quite stiff. His joints gave him some trouble, especially his knees, but after a while he definitely noticed that he was feeling better. The only thing he absolutely, categorically refused to do, he told her, was to say 'um' or chant.

After the success with the yoga Sam then tried to get Jack to meditate, knowing it would be very helpful in their present stressful situation. He absolutely refused. It wasn't that he thought there was something wrong with it – in fact he knew a lot of people who really benefited by it. The fact was he was terrified of what it would do to him. He spent a good amount of his life not allowing bad thoughts and memories to creep into his mind. He knew he could easily dive into serious depression by thinking about the things that had happened to him in his life. The idea of 'opening his mind' and letting these in was something he just wasn't willing to try.

Of course, he'd never tell any of this to Sam. With her he simply joked and made fun of meditation as 'mumbo jumbo'. When he'd said it for about the fifth time he realized that he had finally upset her. She seriously thought he was ridiculing her, which was never his intention.

After his last sarcastic comment she turned away from him and sat down at the table. Pulling out a few of the tools they'd found she began working on something; he didn't know what it was although he was sure it was brilliant. He tried to joke with her but she didn't answer. It was when he heard a small 'sniff' that he knew it was time to face the music.

"Sam", he said softly. She refused to look up.

"Sam, please, look at me." She glanced up but then immediately returned to her project.

"Sam, I'm sorry." Okay O'Neill – you gotta fess up here and try some honesty. "Sam, let me explain, please?" he asked cajolingly.

At that she finally put down the piece of wood she was fiddling with.

"It's okay Sir" (oooh – he was definitely in trouble). "I understand. I'm sorry I bugged you about it. I promise not to do it anymore. I know you think it's stupid."

"No Sam, I don't think it's stupid at all. In fact, I know it's not. As much as I sounded like an ass, I really do know that meditating is a good thing. I know lots of people who do it and get a lot out of it. I had psychologists trying to get me to do it for years." Okay, she may not know it but that there was a huge admission in and of itself; one that he'd never made to anyone before.

She may in fact have realized just that because she looked at him in surprise and compassion (maybe mixed with curiosity). When she didn't say anything he continued.

"Look, as I said, I know I was being an ass. I just couldn't tell you the real reason, okay." Maybe that would be enough.

"What is the real reason Jack?" At least he was back to being 'Jack'.

Breathe Jack, breathe. Not one for self confessions he was finding this difficult.

"It scares me, okay." There, he'd bared his soul. This time it was he who refused to look up.

"Why does it scare you?" She sounded confused.

"Well, there's not much in my mind to begin with so 'emptying it' just doesn't seem like a good idea."

"Jack, if you don't want to tell me you don't have to – but you don't have to cover it up by joking. Just tell me you don't want to do it for a 'personal reason' – that's all I need to know."

He sat there quietly, knowing she deserved more from him. He'd always found it to share anything of himself, but he sensed this could make a difference to their relationship – as friends of course.

"It'll let in the bad memories", he murmured so quietly she could barely hear him.

"What?" she asked gently, not sure if she'd heard him right.

"It'll let in all the bad memories. I don't think I could handle that."

Oh God, she'd never heard the Colonel – no – Jack – say anything like this before. Maybe only that once in the time-loop when he'd spoken about his son. Other than that he pretty much dealt with everything as a joke.

"I'm sorry Jack. I had no idea."

"Course not. It's not something I usually go around talkin' about." She knew from the way he sat there that this was a very big deal. He'd just opened up to her in a way he did with few people. She felt honored, but also frightened. She did not want to screw this up.

"But you're wrong Colonel." He looked up in surprise at her words, not even noticing that she'd called him by his rank again.

"What?"

"You're wrong. Emptying your mind doesn't let in the bad memories – it gets rid of them along with everything else. That's why they call it 'emptying'. It allows you to get beyond all of the bad, all of the stressful parts of your life." It was time for some confessions of her own.

"After Jolinar, I thought I was going to go mad. I had all her memories, along with my own. Everything got mixed up and I felt like I was living a nightmare. I finally went to see a therapist, one recommended by Janet. He convinced me to try meditation. Like you I was scared, scared that Jolinar would 'take over' if I allowed myself to let go. Instead, I was able to control my thoughts, my feelings in a way I'd never managed before. I felt free for the first time in a long time. Since then I use it anytime we've had a stressful mission or I'm worried or upset."

He sat quietly, thinking about her words and recognizing that she'd shared something equally as personal with him – just to help him feel better. Looking up finally, he smiled.

"Thanks Sam. And I really am sorry for being such a jerk. It's my way of dealing when I'm uncomfortable."

She laughed at this. "I know Colonel – we've all known that for a long time."

He wasn't quite sure to what to make of that but let it pass. "All right. You're telling me this meditation thing is helpful? Well then, show me how it works."

She was right, he admitted to himself a few days later. He felt better afterward. Of course, he'd never admit that to anyone and made Sam promise never to tell.

So, their days became set. In the morning they'd wake up and do yoga, then eat breakfast. After a short rest they'd do more vigorous excercises. Following that, they'd spend a good portion of the day trying to get the chains off of Jack. After supper they'd spend some time just talking and relaxing. Right before bed they'd both spend time meditating, then it was to sleep.

That was easily the most difficult time of the day – that and early morning. Jack so wanted to reach over and pull Sam to him. In many ways they were living as man and wife and yet were physically far apart. It was killing him.

Little did he know it but Sam was feeling the same way. On a couple of nights she woke up, her body pressed up against Jack. She would carefully move over but seemed to always gravitate towards him. He never said anything, so maybe he didn't notice.

She barely thought about Pete at all and when she did it was with guilt. She knew she was going to end it with him as soon as she got back but, knowing him, he was terribly worried for her. That just made the guilt all the worse.

She was sitting one evening, just thinking about things when Jack came over. He'd been working on a 'secret project' for the past few days. He'd go into their little bathroom to work on it, not wanting her to see. She must admit to being curious.

He stood in front of her, holding something with a cloth draped over it.

"What's that?" she asked, grinning.

"Oh, just a little something I whipped up." With that he took the cloth off and there was a home made chess set.

"Wow, did you do that?"

"No Carter, I went and bought it at WalMart."

"I'm sorry Jack, I'm just so impressed." Actually, it was quite amazing considering the few available tools and supplies they had. Jack set it on the table and she took a careful look at it. Then, she began to laugh.

The figures were clearly representations of friends of theirs from the SGC. The 'king' was Hammond – a bald figure with little stars engraved on him. The Queen was Janet. Jack had carved a little lab coat and a stethoscope around the neck. If she wasn't mistaken there was also a tiny penlight in one of the figures hands.

She laughed when she saw the Bishop – it was wearing teeny, tiny glasses and was carrying what looked like a cup of coffee. The knight was, of course, Teal'c – the emblem clear on his forehead. She had a bit of trouble figuring out the Castle until she saw the emblem of the SGC with a little round gate on it.

She was absolutely delighted with the whimsical chess set. Not only would it give them something to do in the evenings, it was a reminder of their home and friends.

"Aren't you going to look at the pawns", Jack asked, clearly pleased at her reaction. She reached down and picked one up, wondering who he'd used for the pawns. Then she laughed – it was Thor! Of course, all the little Thors looked exactly the same – perfect!

"This is amazing Jack! Thank you for doing this." She laughed in delight again. "This is too funny!"

Jack smiled back, thrilled that he had brought some happiness to her.

"You realize that I'm gonna whip your butt don't you?" he asked, feeling quite cocky.

"Oh, I don't think so Colonel. In fact, I challenge you to a game right now!"

She had known for years that Jack liked chess but she'd never actually played it with him. Daniel and he had a running game but she'd never asked him how well Jack played. She was a pretty good player herself and didn't want to slaughter him. She decided to go easy on him so that he wouldn't feel bad.

It took about 15 minutes for her to realize she not only didn't have to 'go easy' on him – in fact, she was absolutely, completely out of her league with Jack. He was an expert and easily bested her, again and again.

She didn't know quite why she was so surprised. Maybe she'd gotten arrogant with her designation as the resident SGC genius. All she knew was that Jack had a knack for seeing moves way in advance and planning accordingly. It struck her one evening, after about the fifth loss in a row, that he was a master at tactics. It was what he did, it was one of the things that made him such an excellent leader and which had saved their collective butts on numerous occasions. The skills of chess were the same as those of a military commander – to see the moves of the enemy in advance and plan for them.

No wonder he was great – as a soldier and as a chess player. No, maybe he couldn't name all the elements on the periodic table – but he was a genius in his own right.

Right now he was contemplating the chessboard. It was amazing how still he could be when he needed to be, she thought.

"Jack?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you know the elements on the periodic table?"

"Hmmm, what?" He kept looking at the board.

"The elements – on the periodic table."

"Yeah, what about 'em?"

"Do you know them?"

"Yeah. Except maybe the newest ones." He reached over and moved his knight, glancing up in triumph at her. He saw that she was looking at him in surprise.

"What?" he asked, frowning.

"You really know them?"

"Know what Carter? What are you talking about?"

"You said you knew all the elements on the periodic table."

"I did?"

"Yes, you did. Just now. So, you really know them?"

She was absolutely charmed at how embarrassed he looked. He'd been well and truly caught out. She'd known, in fact they'd all known, for years that Jack was smart. She was beginning to believe he was much more than just smart.

"Had to learn them in school. They just stuck I guess. Why the question?"

"Oh, I don't know – maybe because I just realized what a fraud you are."

"Fraud? Me? Carter, what's goin' on in that head of yours tonight."

"Well, you've liked to pretend, for a lot of years, that you're not so smart. We all knew that wasn't true and I've just proved it."

"What? Because I memorized the elements. It takes a lot more than that to be smart Sam."

"No, not just because of that. Look at the way you play chess. No matter how hard I try, and believe my, I'm trying, I can never beat you. There's lots of other things too – things you don't realize you're saying at times."

He groaned. "Sam, I'm just a regular guy. You and Daniel are the smart ones. I'm just a soldier. So, I've picked up a few things, that doesn't mean anything."

"Jack?"

"What now?" he asked, rolling his eyes.

"Did you go to university?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because Daniel, Teal'c and I have a bet going and I want to win."

"A bet! What kind of bet?"

"Well, Teal'c doesn't think you went to college. He says you are a warrior and were trained to fight." Jack snorted – that was the truth. "Daniel thinks you got your Bachelors Degree only – just enough to make it to officer's school."

"He does, does he. What does he think I studied, Machine Shop or Basket Weaving?"

She giggled, "No, I think he thinks you did English or something like that."

"Really? Good guess."

"That's what you studied? English?" She wasn't surprised really. Jack had a real love of language – and could use it very effectively.

"Yeah – English Lit and Composition. I used to like to write."

"What did you write?"

"Not Science Fiction, I promise."

Laughing, she said she wasn't surprised. She tried to pin him down but he refused to tell her any more. She'd have to worm it out of him slowly!

"So, any thing else?"

"Hmmm", he answered innocently.

"Any other degrees?"

"Now Carter, why would I get any more degrees? I only needed an undergraduate degree to become an officer.

"Sir – Any. Other. Degrees? She asked very pointedly.

"Mssrs n flsflfy." He muttered.

"I didn't hear that Sir." She wasn't going to let him get away with this.

"A Masters in Philosophy."

"Really? Wow Sir, that's impressive. Philosophy's a hard subject."

"Nah – just a lot of reading and talking - both things I'm good at Carter." He was quite red in the face, she noticed.

"Why philosophy?" She was really curious – he so often seemed to be man of action rather than a 'thinker' but that wasn't the mark of a philosopher.

"Just wanted to know what made people tick Carter. Are we done now? Can we get back to the game?" Yup – O'Neill was definitely embarrassed by this conversation.

"Did you ever write anything on it?" So she wasn't going to give up, was she?

"Yes, now let's play chess!"

"Under one condition. You show me what you wrote when we get home."

"I don't know if I even have it anymore. It's probably long gone."

"Really?" She looked him directly but when he wouldn't meet her eyes she knew he was 'fibbing'. "Nope – you promise or no more chess."

"Ever?" he sounded like a disappointed little boy.

"For one week."

"Okay, fine, I'll show you the articles – article – but you promise not to laugh?"

"Of course not. And thank you!"

That evening was a real breakthrough in their relationship. Now that she really knew something about the Colonel she began to talk to him, not as her commander, but as a very intelligent, thoughtful man.

The 'plan to break free' on the other hand, wasn't really going anywhere. The house was solid, and surrounded by the compound. As for the chains attached to Jack, they were made of a material that was almost impossible to break.

They'd found a small file, which had thrilled them, until they realized how hard the metal really was.

"This reminds me of the metal on that probe the went through your shoulder."

"Don't remind me Carter", he said, shuddering. One of the more awful experiences of his life!

"Why do you think aliens have this irresistible urge to skewer me? First it was that damn probe, then that titanium arrow, then Ba'al" (he looked at her when he mentioned Ba'al – none of them knew everything that he'd done although they knew about some of the knives), now this." He flicked the chain. "There must be something about me that cries, 'come, stick things in me'."

"I know Sir – it's terrible. I really feel bad but if we keep it up eventually it'll come off."

She really did feel badly for him. He'd been hurt way too much.

So, after the yoga and exercise, they worked on filing the chain. When there was absolutely no evidence of any effect they started on the 'medallion'. The loop that suspended it from the chain looked like slightly different material. They began to file it. After two weeks they could see a bit of change – there was a groove forming. They figured, at this rate, they'd get it off just before the two months were up.

Slowly, day by day, their relationship was changing. Although neither of them recognized it, it would soon become apparent that they had well and truly moved beyond Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter!

Daniel and Teal'c quietly walked through the corridors of the SGC. They only came across one Airman who simply smiled at them as they passed. They were too familiar a sight for anyone to question their presence.

They made their way to the requisition area. Here they had to take out two guards who they tied up and hid. It was a good thing they were men otherwise it would have been much worse for them.

After they'd collected all the weapons and equipment they needed, Daniel and Teal'c headed to the Control Room.

A lonely technician sat at the controls. No teams, other than that of Major Griff and Dr. Frasier, was off world – and they weren't expected back yet. When Dr. Jackson came sauntering in he didn't think anything of it; it wasn't an unusual occurrence.

"Dr. Jackson. What can I do for you?"

"Sorry soldier" Daniel zatted him and Teal'c quickly tied him up. While Teal'c was occupied, Daniel began the dialing sequence. As the chevron reached six they ran down the stairs. As they sped up the ramp they heard the shouts of the SF's – they even heard one or two shots fired.

They both threw themselves into the wormhole. They had Jack – and an entire planet of men – to save.


	11. Check and Mate

**_Sorry for the delay in posting. I'm getting lots of calls from home and it's taking my evenings. Hope you enjoy and keep the comments coming. They are very helpful and give me ideas. One reviewer mentioned it was frustrating that I didn't show a break when the POV changed. I have literally tried everything I can (lines/spaces/bars, etc) but the system just wipes them out as soon as I post. I'll put headings on although I really don't like to do that. I was told there is some way in HTML you can do this but I don't know that at all and it makes no sense to me. I know how to use Word only so my apologies._**

**Matsya's Camp**

It was getting harder and harder to keep from staring. He was just so damn sexy! She'd always known that, but somehow seeing him everyday in his uniform or his BDU's kept her naughty thoughts at bay. But now, with the leather pants, her mind refused to obey her better self.

They'd had to adjust the pants pretty quickly. After the first few hours wearing them he'd started to limp. He'd finally sat down on the bed, told her to turn around and had struggled out of them, wrapping a blanket around himself.

He'd figured he could use one of the sheets or blankets and rig something up. The only problem was it would leave them short of bedding and, even worse, he'd have to either put up with scratchy wool or thin cotton, which wouldn't cover much.

She'd finally offered to try and come up with a solution. Taking the pants she looked at them to see if they could be let out at all. When it was clear that there just wasn't that much extra material she had sat and pondered how to fix them. Finally, with a small grin, she came up with an idea.

She cut off the bottom of the pants to give her some extra leather. She'd then ripped the side seams out to knee level. After that she'd sewn thin strips of leather between the front and back from waist to knee. It gave him substantially more room but also meant that there were openings down the side, between the strips.

He'd groused and complained when he saw them but finally tried them on. Even he had to admit they felt better although they were quite a sight. He looked like a combination of a little Austrian boy with short pants and a male stripper. He'd threatened her with all sorts of dire consequences if she laughed.

"I feel like a damned gigolo in these things!", he'd whined.

She had to admit he was right – they did indeed look like something an exotic dancer would wear – she also admitted, to herself only – that she really, really liked them.

She found herself feeling guilty about sneaking peaks. The sight of bare flesh and tight leather was highly erotic. She kept telling herself to stop looking; until the day she caught Jack staring at her bare legs!

She'd looked back at him in surprise. Up until that moment she hadn't thought he'd been in the slightest interested (which was silly really – he was a man!). Seeing his embarrassment and guilt when she'd caught him looking had made her want to laugh but she carefully held it back.

"Sorry Carter", he'd mumbled.

"T's'okay Sir", she'd mumbled in response. Better to not say too much, but she'd had to go into the bathroom where she'd stuffed a rag in her mouth so he couldn't hear her hysterical laughter. He'd looked like a little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

They'd been here three weeks and were managing pretty well. They were working very hard to be considerate of one another and give each other whatever space they could. While they got along surprisingly well, they _**were**_ living in very close quarters. To give each other some privacy both of them would take turns sitting and working in the little bathroom.

As for their plan to get out – well, that was finally moving forward. For the first couple of weeks the only person they saw was the slave who brought them their food everyday. He'd knock and then enter their small house, putting down the basket of food on the table. He'd wait for them to empty it and then take it and leave.

He was a young man with a very sour expression and a severe limp. He was clearly not 'perfect' enough to have been taken as either a host or a 'host-producer' so instead was a slave. They had tried to speak with him but he would do no more than grunt, no matter what they tried. It was extremely frustrating, as they needed more information.

All that had changed on the fifteenth day of their captivity. There was a knock on the door and when it was opened there stood Martia.

She walked in quickly, shutting the door behind her, and placed the basket on the table.

"Martia – how are you?" Sam asked, surprised but pleased to see the young woman. She looked well – in some ways better than she had when she'd been home.

"I am well Samantha. How are you faring?" she'd answered.

"Well, we're kind of stuck here but otherwise we're fine. How come you're here today?"

"Toruz is ill. He asked to be relieved of the duty. I volunteered and they let me come. I do not have long – the guards are waiting to escort me back - but I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Thank you Martia – that's kind of you. Will you be back?"

"Yes, tomorrow. I have been told this is my job from now on. Our Mistress is happy with my work but she does not know that we know each other."

"That's great. You'd better go now but maybe tomorrow we can talk. Maybe tomorrow you could tell us some things about this place. We haven't seen much."

Martia looked at her at that, fear in her eyes, but also determination. She was a strong young woman and she wanted to help if she could.

With a quick 'goodbye' she left. The guards were clearly visible at the end of the short walk, waiting for her.

For Jack and Sam it was a positive sign. They both felt much more optimistic now that they had a 'friend' who could help them.

The rest of the day they carried on with their routine. Sam worked for a couple of hours trying to get the medallion off the chain on Jack's chest. As she worked she couldn't help but grin to herself. What most of the women at the SGC wouldn't give to be in her position. She got to spend her afternoons looking at Jack O'Neill's naked chest. Sometimes there was definitely a silver lining to the that grey and dreary cloud!

**Daniel and Teal'c**

Daniel and Teal'c exited the gate at a run, having had to enter it quickly to escape the SF's. As they both came to a stop, they looked around at the disserted planet to which they'd gated.

They had visited this planet over three months ago on a routine mission. They'd hoped to find mineral deposits that would be useful to earth as there was some indication, on the MALP readings, of naquada. When they'd arrived, and Sam had done some more in depth studies, it had been obvious that it had pretty much been mined out and they left. There was nothing of interest here – other than wind swept plains and dry creek beds.

It was useful, however, as a jumping off point. The SGC computer would track where they'd gated to but from here they could move quickly to another world. With a swift glance at Teal'c, Daniel started to dial again before earth had a chance to engage the gate.

"You're sure these are the right coordinates Teal'c?" he asked just before pressing the final symbol.

"Yes. I have been to this planet many times while in the service of Apophis. It is a trading planet and therefore open to all. There will be Goa'uld there as well as people from many different races but we should be safe. No one wants to disturb the trade so we should be left alone." Although as he said this he was tying a scarf over his forehead; he didn't want to tempt fate by advertising who he was.

"Okay then, here it goes." Daniel pressed the last symbol and the gate shot open. With a final look at each other they walked forward through the event horizon.

Teal'c was right – Venora was a major 'trade' planet, which drew peoples from all different worlds. You could find just about any commodity on the planet. What drew the two men from earth here was the fact that you could also find information – for a price. On his way to get weapons Daniel had made a quick stop at his office and had picked up some small pieces of value. Hopefully they'd be worth something.

The crowds and noise and smells were quite something. Daniel could see Jaffa walking around as well as people dressed in all manner of clothes – from rich, vibrantly colored cloth to dirty rags. The sound of people shouting and selling their wares rose and fell like the ebb of an ocean at full tide. He could hear laughter, arguments and even one or two fights.

If it had been a different time he would have been fascinated by everything. In many ways it reminded him of some of the towns in the Middle East he had visited when on various digs in his younger days. He practically drooled as he walked by some of the booths and saw artifacts and items which any archaeologist would sell his or her soul for.

"Any idea where we're headed?" he asked his large companion. He had to remember not to use Teal'c's name in case it was recognized. Maybe he'd call him 'Murray'.

"Yes. We go to see one who has knowledge of almost everything that goes on in the galaxy. I just pray he is still here." They rounded a corner into a dark alley, filthy with refuse and things Daniel didn't even want to try and recognize.

About halfway down Teal'c walked up to a small door, partially concealed behind a stack of old boxes. He knocked softly and waited. After a few minutes there was a sound of something being moved on the other side. Finally, the door squeaked open a few inches.

"What do you want?" an old, craggy voice grated through the crack.

"I want your head on a platter, old man!" There was silence and than a gruff laugh. The door opened and there stood possibly the oldest person Daniel had ever seen (except maybe for Marcello although it was a close run thing).

"Come in, come in. Don't want the Goa'uld to see you." The old man gestured with his hands, telling the men to enter. Teal'c walked in and indicated that it was safe for Daniel to follow.

Daniel was shocked when he saw the interior. From the outside the place looked like a wreck – but inside it was closer to a palace. It was filled with beautiful tapestries, ornaments clearly made of precious metals and lush furnishings. Whoever this man was he had obviously done well for himself.

"So I hear you left Apollo?" the old man sat down and looked over at Teal'c. The former Jaffa took a large seat across from the man, leaving Daniel to flop down on an ornate, velvet (at least it looked like velvet) couch.

"Yes, I left the service of the false God. I am now free."

"Ooooh free are ya? I've heard about the free Jaffa. Are there many of you?"

"Not enough, but soon there will be."

"Really? How many?" Daniel wanted to grin. This was definitely a man who lived on gossip and information.

"We are not here to discuss the free Jaffa", Teal'c answered firmly, much to the man's disappointment. That was information he could have sold for a goodly sum.

"No? Why are you here then? And who is this young one?" he asked, pointing to Daniel.

"This is my friend, Daniel."

"Aren't you going to introduce me?" the old man grinned, showing a toothless mouth.

Teal'c raised his eyebrow but nodded. "Daniel, this is Feemy." When he didn't say any more the old man – Feemy – spoke.

"Yes indeed, Teal'c and I go way back. I knew him when he was just a young Jaffa, starting out in service to Apophis. Oh, he was a young firebrand all right. Wanted to be the best Jaffa ever. He was determined to rise in the ranks – and he did. Became First Prime, did you know that? Yup, it was said he was the best Prime Apophis ever had. He relied totally on Teal'c who was feared on over one hundred planets. We all knew not to cross him! So, it surprised me, it really did, when I heard that Teal'c had left. Of all the Jaffa I'd known I would have said he was the least likely to desert his Lord."

"Not my Lord", Teal'c said softly, "He is a false god – a false lord. I left him because he fed us lies. I am now free."

"Yes, I see that. So, free-Teal'c, to what do I owe this pleasure? You want some information do you? Now, what can I offer a free Jaffa? Or is it this one, this Daniel, who needs the information?"

"It is both of us Feemy. We seek information about a friend who was taken. We were on a planet with our friend when he was taken by the Goa'uld."

"Really? Why was he taken? Was there something important about the planet?"

"No – nothing. It was a primitive place and the people had nothing of value, nothing but themselves. While the men were away at a ceremony, the women were taken. That would not have been a bad thing except that our friend was with them and was taken too."

"Was this friend also a woman."

"No!" Teal'c almost shouted in disgust. Then, more quietly "no, we have no friends who are women. Our friend, his name is O'Neill, was taken with the women of the village. There was one woman with him, one whom we know. We believe she was responsible, that she gave information to the Goa'uld to direct him to the planet."

"Who was the Goa'uld?"

"His name is Matsya. Do you know of him?"

There was a pause while Feemy considered his old 'friend'. He felt like there was something off, something wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Feemy was a man who had decided, early in life, that business was better, was more faithful, than friends. His whole life had been about buying and selling information. That this information often resulted in harm and sometimes even in death was something he didn't want to know. He did his business, and he did it fairly. What happened after the people got their information he didn't care as long as he was paid.

Teal'c was probably one of the few exceptions to his life-long rule of staying indifferent and concentrating on profit and loss. This man – or this Jaffa – had impressed him from the first moment they had met. There was an honesty, an integrity about Teal'c that he had rarely seen in anyone. That Teal'c could be frightening and ferocious, there was no doubt; that he was also ultimately fair and honorable there was also no doubt.

Teal'c had saved his life once, when one of his disgruntled customers had come back to reek vengeance on him. It just so happened that the Jaffa had been visiting attempting to find out information about one of Apophis' enemies, when the customer had rushed out at him, dagger drawn. Teal'c had quickly put an end to the assassin and Feemy had never forgotten or ceased to be grateful.

He wanted to help Teal'c, he truly did, but he worried that something was seriously amiss.

"You are sure it was Matsya? He does not show himself very often."

"We believe it to have been him. His Jaffa wore the sign of the fish."

"Yes, that sounds like Matsya. So, he was collecting slaves and breeders was he?"

"Breeders?" Daniel jumped in, startled. This was something he hadn't heard before.

"Yes, do you not know about Matsya?"

"Only that he was the God of 'new life' – I assumed that meant he collected hosts."

"Well, he does in a manner of speaking. He doesn't use the ones he captures as hosts though – he uses them to breed new ones."

Daniel sat up, worried about what this could mean. Teal'c looked over at him, the realization beginning to dawn on him too.

"How do they determine who they 'breed'?"

"Well, Matsya is known for providing the best hosts. His goods are in great demand and he fetches a lot for them. He picks his breeders carefully. The men must be handsome and strong, the women beautiful. He likes to pick those with 'spirit' for it is said that a human with spirit makes a better host." He looked at his two visitors, seeing the shock and dismay on their faces.

"Tell me, your 'friend' – is he handsome? Is he spirited?"

Daniel looked up at that and slowly nodded. Yes, Jack was a very handsome man and certainly could be classed as 'spirited'. God, they couldn't be meaning to 'breed' him could they?

"Uh, how do they go about this 'breeding'?" he asked.

Feemy cackled, "you mean you don't know? I woulda thought a man as handsome as you would have figured it out. Unless you don't like women?"

"No, I mean yes, I like women – I just didn't know if they did something special or simply required the men to .. you know, mate with the women."

"Mate! Yeah I guess that's what they call it – although the women certainly don't have any choice. I hear the men enjoy it pretty much but it's harder on the women. They have to bear a number of children who are all taken away from them. Finally, when they can't bear any more they're either killed or turned into slaves. The men, of course, last a lot longer."

"What happens if the man refuses?"

Feemy looked surprised. He tried to remember if he'd ever heard of a man refusing before. "Knowing Matsya – or at least of him – I'd say it would go pretty hard on the man who refused. I don't know why he would though. I'd enjoy a life of nothing more than-"

"Yeah, we get it. Teal'c, we gotta get him out of there and fast."

"Yes indeed Daniel." He turned back to the old man. "Do you know where we can find this 'Matsya'? We must rescue our friend."

"No. No one knows where he is. He keeps it a secret so none of the Goa'uld can steal his slaves or his breeders. It is said that he also has a way to ensure the women get pregnant quickly and that their children are strong and healthy and especially blessed. It is said that it is this, more than anything, that the other Goa'uld want. That way they could produce the perfect hosts for themselves. But wait, did you not also say there was a woman with him? What of her."

"She is a traitor. She is responsible for what has happened to our friend. We want her as well, but only for justice."

"Is she beautiful?"

Daniel and Teal'c stopped and looked at one another, shock clearly written on their faces.

"Yes", Daniel answered slowly. "For a woman, she is beautiful. She is tall and fair, with blue eyes."

"Then her children will be much in demand and worth a lot." He stopped and appeared to consider something. He knew he was entering dangerous territory – there were some System Lords you just didn't mess around with – and Ba'al was one of them. Even so …. he owed Teal'c.

"I have heard one thing about Matsya recently."

"Yes? What?" Teal'c asked.

"I heard that he had offered a new host-child to Ba'al for a lot of money – and that Ba'al was very pleased. It is said that the host will be the child of one of Ba'al's worst enemies – a 'Tauri' who once defeated him. He will give anything for this child."

"Teal'c!"

"I know Daniel Jackson. We must find a way to save him and his child if there is to be one." He turned back to Feemy. "Do you have any ideas as to where we can find Matsya? Surely people must be able to get in touch with him if they want to do business with him."

"He usually appears every few months – often just shows up where two or more System Lords are gathered or sometimes he comes to planets like this one to trade his 'goods'. I do not know how to find him – but I can tell you where he will be soon." He licked his lips in nervousness and glanced around, making sure no one was listening.

"Where?"

"Shhh! You must be quiet – and you must promise never to say where you got the information. I owe you my life, Teal'c – but if it gets out that I told you my life will again be forfeit."

"You have my word, old man. I will tell no one."

"He will be meeting with Ba'al in eighty days time, on the first day of Santish – to show him proof that he has this 'Tauri' and that the child is on the way. Once Ba'al has proof he will give Matsya a 'down-payment' with the balance of the money due on receipt of the child."

"Where? Where will they meet?"

"They will meet on Sandor – it is a barren planet many light years from here. There is nothing there so it is difficult for an enemy to wage a surprise attach. That is all I can say. You must go now, please." Feemy really did look upset and frightened. Knowing Ba'al both Daniel and Teal'c could understand why.

Teal'c stood and put out his hand. Shaking the little old man's hand he spoke, "You need not worry, no one will ever know from whence we got the information. And your debt has been paid. I wish you well." The large man turned and strode to the door, followed by a visibly upset Daniel Jackson.

When they'd both left Feemy's house they walked to the central square.

"What are we going to do now Teal'c? We have over two months to wait. Where will we go? We certainly can't return to earth and they'll look for us on Chulak?"

"We can stay here for a while. We may be able to gather more information. We can also attempt to find out where Ba'al is and maybe join his forces."

"Join Ba'al? He'll kill us Teal'c."

"He will not see us. His forces are large Daniel Jackson. We will simply be two lowly followers among many."

"How will you hide your tattoo? And I'm not Jaffa so that won't work."

"I will wear a head covering. I will say I am from the Andor tribe. It is required of their faith to cover their heads at all times. You will be my slave."

"Great! Thanks. Just what I always wanted, to be a slave in Ba'al's service."

"Would you rather we leave O'Neill to his fate?" Teal'c asked sternly.

"No, of course not Teal'c. I'll do anything I have to, don't worry. I just wish this was the something I didn't _have to._

**_Matsya's Camp_**

The next day, when Martia returned, Jack and Sam were ready with some questions. They needed to find out the 'lay of the land' around the house they were in; how many guards there were, where the slaves were kept and how many of them there were; would the slaves give them up or would they help, etc. etc.

Martia was overwhelmed by the questions at first. She had never been asked, in her life, to actually figure things out or to take a serious roll in anything. Other than in raising her girls, all the decisions had been made by Amdahl. As difficult as it was for her, however, she found herself beginning to thrive. She suddenly, for the first time in her life, saw herself as a person of value, someone who was both liked and respected. Even as a slave, she had more freedom than she'd ever had.

Jack and Sam began to gather bits and pieces of information, a little bit everyday. Martia only had a very few minutes to speak with them before the guards would get suspicious. Sometimes, she wasn't able to answer their questions so she would go away to discover the answers – under instruction to be extremely careful.

This she knew – her girls depended on it. As long as she behaved and did what she was told, she was allowed to keep her daughters with her. If she misbehaved, the threat was that they would be taken away. This was enough incentive for all the mothers.

The fact was, that the women from her planet were ideal slaves. They came already well trained. They were actually better treated in Matsya's service than they had been in their own homes.

The only fear they all had was that their children would be taken away. Any child that showed promise of beauty would be taken, at a young age, either as a host or to bear hosts. Some of the women would go so far as to disfigure their children to prevent this. Of course, they were horribly punished for this, many of them even losing their lives, but they felt this was preferable to their children being sentenced to a life as a host.

In fact, a week or so after she'd first started bringing the supplies, Martia showed up in tears. When they asked her what was wrong, she told them that her youngest daughter was showing signs of beauty. One of the priests (slimy bastards, thought Jack), has noticed and said he would be watching. She was terrified.

"We have to help her Jack!" Sam had cried after she left.

"And how do we do that?" he'd replied, angrily. He felt so frustrated and this just made it worse. He couldn't even save Sam, little alone the other women.

"I don't know. I just know that when we leave we have to take the women and children with us."

"Oh great!" he replied, furious. "You expect me to get us out of here and then to take a bunch of women and children – and for what? They're better off here than on their own damn planet." With that he'd turned and walked into the bathroom, slamming the flimsy door.

She looked after him in shock. This was so not like Jack. He was the first to want to help the helpless. She couldn't figure out where this was coming from.

In reality, neither was he. He desperately wanted to help these people. He remembered their fearful faces on the trip here, and how they'd looked to him for help and answers. Maybe that was it, he thought, everyone always expected him to ride in and save the day. Sometimes though, he just wasn't able to do it. He couldn't even get the damn chain off, how was he going to save everyone? The burden of command, of being one who lived to help others, sometimes got just too much to bear.

He sat in the small room for a long time, head in his hands, until he heard a soft knock.

"Come", he replied, not looking up.

"Jack, come on out now. You've been in here a long time." A soft voice, not judgmental and not angry spoke to him. He looked up and all he saw was a face and eyes full of compassion. If anything, that made it worse.

Sighing, he stood up, feeling like an old man. He walked out into the other room and just stood there for a moment until he finally turned to Sam.

"You're right. We have to get them out. I just wish I knew how in hell to do that!"

"We'll figure something out. We always do."

"Yeah", he looked up and gave a small smile, "I guess we do. Time to put your thinkin' cap on Carter. We gotta figure a way out."

So, they'd told Martia they were going to help her, but they needed more information. She continued to supply them with whatever facts she could ferret out. Soon they knew as much as possible about the layout of the camp, the numbers of guards, priests and slaves. The 'breeders' as she called them, stayed in the large building and they never saw them. There was some kind of enclosure to the back of that building where they must have had access to the outdoors.

In some ways, their time spent in captivity wasn't a totally bad thing. They both had time to rest and to get to know each other as people, not just as Air Force officers. Sam laughed a lot at Jack's stories of growing up and his early days in the Force. He avoided talking about his time married to Sara and never mentioned Charlie, but other than that she learned quite a few things about him. Most of what she learned charmed her. He was an interesting and intelligent man,

At the same time, she began to share some of herself with him. She talked about the time before her mother's death; what it had been like growing up in her household. She spoke affectionately, but also with some frustration, about both her brother and father. She loved them but they drove her crazy. She also talked about growing up as the 'genius' and how difficult that was as a teenager who really just wanted to be liked and to meet boys.

"Not that my Dad would have let a boy come near me even if he'd wanted to. He would have scared the hell out of him."

"Come on Carter. I'm sure lots of boys wanted to get to know you." He smiled.

"No, not really. I think they were all too intimidated by me."

"Really? I can't believe that. No, I take that back – lots of guys would be intimidated by your brains, in fact people of both sexes would be – but teenage boys will get beyond that if there are long legs and uh boobs attached to that brain."

"Colonel!" she squealed, shocked.

"Hey, I used to be a teenaged boy – granted it was a long time ago – but I still remember. In fact, I don't know if men ever really grow out of that." He sat there in deep thought. "Nah, I think we're all pretty much interested in the same things no matter how old we are."

She had to laugh at him – but was also a bit thrown by his comments. She realized, as much as he was teasing her, that there was an element of truth in what he said. She'd received enough looks in her life and career (and in the last few days in this room) to know that men were simply unable to _not_ look at an attractive women – or any woman for that matter.

"So, you're telling me Sir, that you're not interested in me for my brains?" she challenged, a teeny grin on her face.

"Sure, I like your brains a lot – have relied on them more times than I can remember."

"But ….?"

"But what? You want me to tell you I like looking at you too?"

Now she was getting flustered. Why in heavens name had she pushed this conversation? They were definitely getting into areas they should be avoiding.

"No, that's okay Sir, uh Jack. Wanna play a game of chess?" Okay Carter, that was real subtle.

He looked at her quizzically for a moment, knowing exactly the corner she'd gotten herself into. He finally relented and pulled down the chess set from one of the small shelves.

"Black or white Sam?" he asked as he placed the men on the board.

"Uh, white Sir."

"There you go." He waited for her to make the first move and then stood contemplating his. They played for the next hour, Jack clearly many steps ahead of her the whole time.

She made one final move and it was only as she lifted her finger off the Bishop/Daniel that she realized she'd walked straight into a trap.

Jack picked up his queen and paused, a look she couldn't quite read on his face.

"Yeah, I like lookin' at you Carter …. Checkmate!"


	12. Answers and Questions

Janet refused to say anymore until she'd examined the test results. She didn't want to lead her team in the wrong direction in case she was incorrect, although she didn't think she was.

The team spent the night and then prepared to leave the next morning. For now, they had everything they needed. Griff spoke briefly with Amdahl, telling him they'd return in a few days if they found anything. The native man looked skeptically at the team, especially over at Chavez. Janet wondered what was wrong and turned to look at the young Airman. Her eyes grew big as she noticed that the young biologist's mustache had started to loosen. Janet coughed and surepticiouly rubbed her upper lip. Chavey caught on quickly and grabbing a Kleenex, pretended to sneeze. That gave her the opportunity to repair the facial hair.

Amdahl's eyes were narrowed in suspicion. He didn't quite know what was wrong, but he felt something strange about these men. Still, they hadn't harmed anyone and he didn't need anymore trouble so he let it pass.

"If you want us to take the women, we will do so gladly when we return", Griff offered once again. He really didn't want to see any of them harmed.

Amdahl nodded, but didn't look as if he was too interested in the offer. He was having a very difficult time reconciling his beliefs with what he was feeling.

As Griff, Janet and the team returned through the gate to the SGC, they immediately noticed something was off. There were a number of SF's in the gate room and one of the SG teams was geared up, ready to go. Rather than their usual look of casual excitement, the team looked tense and very serious.

Frasier glanced up and saw the General standing in the Control room. He too had a very serious expression on his face. Oh no, she thought, I hope it isn't Sam and the Colonel.

She looked up questioningly to Hammond and he reached over and spoke into the mike.

"Get checked out, Doctor. Briefing in one hour and we'll compare notes."

"Yes Sir", she answered. She turned to the rest of the team. "Let's go. We'll find out what's going on and then report to the General. Captain", she said, turning to Bigelow, "can you run those tests on the chemicals and when you get the results bring them to the Briefing Room."

"Yes Doctor". The team quickly made their way to the Infirmary for their post-mission check. As soon as every one was ready they headed off to see the General – all except for Bigelow who was running her tests.

They had quickly found out what was happening. Nurse Sibbett was happy to tell them all that had gone on in their absence as she took their blood.

"What!" Janet cried. "He let them go? Why in hell would he do that?" She was angry – surely Dr. Warner knew better. She stopped herself before she said more. It wasn't appropriate for her to say any more about her colleague with her staff present. She still couldn't believe it however. This was a disaster.

As she walked with Griff and the others to the Briefing Room she began to calm down. Thinking about it rationally she realized she couldn't really blame the good Doctor. He was a fine medic but didn't have the same level of experience dealing with weird alien phenomena as did she. He was first and foremost a surgeon, and a damn good one, and usually only saw the patients after they had returned from whatever adventure they'd been on. It was usually she who deal with the weird, the wild and the wonderful.

They took their seats around the large table, waiting for the General to arrive. Warner came in a couple of minutes later and sat down quietly. Janet smiled and acknowledged him but neither spoke. The General entered almost immediately and started the meeting.

"Okay people", he sat down heavily. "Tell me you have some good news?"

Griff spoke, "Things went well on the planet Sir. The local man, Amdahl, was quite cooperative. I don't think he realized we had women with us –"

"I think he may have wondered at the end." Janet interjected.

"Yeah – Chavez' facial hair kind of sagged", he grinned. The Airman looked terribly embarrassed. "Don't worry Airman – you did a great job. No fault of yours your mustache started to come off!" Even the General had to grin at the picture of the petite woman with dark facial hair. He must admit that she looked pretty cute with her short hair. He was going to give her some extra time off to spend with her new husband after being such a trooper about the hair.

"But everything else went fine. The team was able to get some samples, and I discovered some kind of chamber underneath the temple. I couldn't get in but it's pretty obvious the locals didn't build this building. There's some kind of alien force at work there."

"Dangerous?" asked Hammond.

"I don't think there's a threat, if that's what you're asking Sir", the Major replied. "If they were aliens who built the temple and underground chamber they're long gone. I think the people of the planet have turned this into their religion and place of worship after years and years but there's no evidence of any recent activity – except of course of ours and the Goa'uld attack."

"Okay – that's good. What about you Doctor? Did you find anything out about the substance that affected Dr. Jackson and Teal'c?"

"I'd like to wait for the test results Sir, if that's okay. In the meantime, can you tell us what happened with Daniel and Teal'c?" She glanced over at Warner who looked exhausted and almost sick.

The General sighed. "I think we'd better have Dr. Warner tell us what happened. He was the one here." He didn't say it but it was clear from that that it was Warner who had made the decision to let the men out of their cell. From the way the General was speaking, he was not happy with the Doctor.

Warner spent the next few minutes telling exactly what had happened. To give him credit, he didn't try and justify what he'd done. He clearly admitted that he'd been fooled and that he'd made a mistake.

"I honestly thought they were better Janet. They seemed so completely normal. I also figured there was no way the drug could still be in their systems after all that time. I was sure that Teal'c especially would be clear."

Before Janet had a chance to say anything Bigelow arrived and handed her the report. Quietly sitting down she waited for Janet to explain what it said.

"If you'll give me a second Sir I just want to look these over." Janet looked up at the General. At his nod she quickly read the reports, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Are you sure these are correct Lieutenant?" she asked Bigelow.

"Yes Ma'am, I checked them three times to make sure. These are correct."

Janet whistled. She'd been right.

"So Doctor, what can you tell us about this drug? When will the effects where off."

"Well Sir, they won't."

"What! What do you mean? Are you telling me there's no cure." This is not what he wanted to hear.

Dr. Warner had a puzzled frown on his face. He was trying to figure out what kind of drug would have this kind of a permanent affect.

"No, I'm sorry Sir, that's not what I meant" She turned to Warner and smiled. "You weren't wrong Mark, the drug _**would**_ have worn off by the time you saw Daniel and Teal'c. If I'd been in your shoes I would have thought the same thing, that they were all better, especially based on the evidence." She turned back to the General.

"You see Sir, it's not the drug that's affecting them."

"What? But what else would it be? They were definitely affected by it and it was after the ceremony that they changed."

"Yes Sir. I'm not saying that the drug didn't affect them – it certainly did – but it isn't in their systems any more. You see", she stopped and pulled open the report, "they're not drugged – the drug simply allowed the ceremony to affect them."

"Okay Doctor, you've lost me."

"The drug they were given was an extremely powerful hallucinogenic – although without the same obvious affects – which allowed their minds to be manipulated. We've never seen anything quite this powerful; it's clearly alien. But what it would have done is leave the mind open to suggestion. That's why Teal'c was equally affected. His symbiote didn't have time to clear out the chemical before his mind was convinced of the message delivered in the ceremony."

"So, what you're telling me is Daniel and Teal'c were –"

"Brainwashed Sir. They've been brainwashed as have all the men on the planet. The drugs are no longer affecting them, they're not even in their systems anymore. In some ways this is worse – their minds have been manipulated and they are convinced that women are bad."

"Is this something that will wear off?" Hammond asked.

"I don't believe so – at least not right away. Over time it might, as they continue to exist in the real world. That may be why the ceremony was repeated every month on the planet. But even then, it could takes years or it might never wear off."

"What can we do then?" the General rubbed his head in frustration.

"Well, I think the only thing we can do is try to deprogram – or should I say 're' program the men. I think if we get them back in that room with the drugs, but give them a different message, it might work."

"Is it safe?"

"I don't know General, although the men of the planet have been doing it their whole lives and don't appear to have suffered any physical results but I'll certainly do some more tests."

"This doesn't solve the problem of Dr. Jackson and Teal'c. We're going to have to find them first and bring them back."

"That's all supposing Amdahl and his crew are going to let us have access to the temple." Griff spoke up for the first time in a long while. "There's no way to guarantee he'll do the ceremony and even if he did, how could we get him to give a different message."

They all sat there, contemplating how to handle this latest situation. The way Janet was feeling right now she would be totally prepared to go back to the planet and force the damn men into that temple and make them listen. She could even fantasize about what the message would be. The women deserved some special treatment after the years of abuse they'd endured!

"But why?" Hammond asked, puzzled.

"What do you mean Sir", asked Griff.

"Why would anyone do something like this? I don't understand."

Janet looked over at Griff and they both nodded. He turned back to the General and answered briefly,

"The Aschen."

"You think this was done by them? But why and how?"

"No Sir", answered Janet. "It wasn't necessarily them but I think the reason is the same."

When everyone around the table looked confused she continued. "The Aschen were basically carrying out Genocide on other planets – but they did it quietly and surreptitiously by destroying the ability of races to procreate. And the fact was that the races didn't even know they were being destroyed. In this case, whatever race did this found another way to destroy an entire planet of people. They programmed the men to hate all women. I'm sure the intent was the men would rise up and kill all the women, effectively destroying their race. The fact that it didn't happened points to the fact that, either the brainwashing wasn't totally effective, or that this group of people was able to resist, to a point. They didn't kill their women – at least only on rare occasions, although they treated them cruelly – but they did survive."

"But that's awful", exclaimed Andropolis. "That's, that's like something out of a science fiction novel."

"I'm afraid you're right Captain. I'm afraid that's exactly what this is like."

"So we need to get to the men on that planet and reverse what was done to them. Do you think it's possible after all this time?"

"I don't know. I hope so. We may have to do more than one 'ceremony' and we'll have to figure out what we want to 'reprogram' them with. I think that's the only way. I don't know if we can just reverse the belief that they've been brainwashed with – we'll have to change it."

"I think we should tell them that women are the superior sex and need to be waited on. They deserve it after all these years." Chavez spoke up for the first time and her eyes were flashing fire. Boy, the General though,t he wouldn't want to be her husband if she ever got mad!

Her comment caused everyone to laugh (at least the women). The General sat pondering the options.

"Okay, let's get some ideas going folks and see what we can do. We're also seeing if we can locate our runaways – we've asked the Tokra for help _**again. **_I'm afraid we're going to wear out our welcome with them! In the meantime, I'll leave your team to come up with a solution. Nice job Doctor, team. Let's hope we can make some things happen."

After they'd been dismissed the science team, Janet and Warner all headed back to the Infirmary. Griff stood looking at the Gate – hoping the members of SG1 were safe.

**On the Planet Venora**

"You sure this place is safe Teal'c?" Daniel looked around at the seedy bar and worried. This looked like a place where the lowest form of humanity – or in this case aliens – hung out."

"No, this place is not safe Daniel Jackson – but it is better than being discovered. Here people are not asked questions. Just keep your eyes down and your ears open. We may discover where some of Ba'als forces are at present.

The two men walked to an emply table in the corner and sat down, keeping their backs to the wall. There wasn't much light in the corner so they felt somewhat protected from the eyes of those looking to find opportunity of any kind.

They'd been seated for four or five minutes when the waitress, or whatever she was called on Venora, came up to take their order.

"What would you gentlemen like?" she asked in a sultry voice. These two looked better than the usual customers.

"Bring us water woman. Nothing else." Teal'c answered, contempt lacing his voice.

"How about you handsome?" She turned to the younger man. He was eyeing her strangely, an eerie look in his eyes.

"I don't need anything … except you." Daniel leared at her and stood. He then reached out and pulled her to him. Inside he felt a deep sense of hatred and anger – but he was also feeling the stirrings of lust for this woman. She was not unattractive, although she looked like she'd been used and had led a hard life.

"Well that could be arranged", she answered, "for a price." She reached out and stroked his cheek. He immediately grabbed her hand and bent her wrist back until she cried out in pain.

"Don't ever touch me woman", he growled. "Not unless I say you can." He reached over and grabbed her breast, squeezing it painfully. When she protested he slapped her across the face. He then reached down and began to pull up her skirt while forcing her to bend backwards over the table. Teal'c simply watched, a slight grin on his face.

"Stop!" she cried, real fear in her voice. No matter how handsome this man was, there was something terrifying about him. He had a cold look on his face, as if he'd like to see her die.

He simply laughed and continued to push her back. By this time he'd torn her blouse, exposing her breast and had lifted her skirt until it was bunched at her waist. With a cry, she pulled her free hand forward. In it, clutched tightly, was a sharp dagger. Without pause she thrust it upwards, into Daniel's stomach.

With a small gasp, not even audible over the din in the room, he looked at her in shock and then collapsed on top of her. She quckly squirmed out from underneath him, grabbed her torn top and held the pieces together and ran back behind the counter where she spoke to the big man standing there.

It had all happened so fast that Teal'c had barely time to react before the woman was gone. Knowing that something serious had happened he reached down and turned Daniel over. He could see the dagger sticking out of his friend's abdomen. Blood was flowing out of the wound and Daniel's face was still and white.

Teal'c quickly tore a strip of his shirt and made a hasty bandage, attempting to stop the blood. He knew he couldn't pull out the dagger – Daniel could bleed to death. He needed a doctor, and now.

Looking up he saw a number of large men coming towards him. Recognizing that they weren't coming to help, he quickly grabbed Daniel and swung him up over his shoulder. He turned and walked as fast as he could out of the bar. The men after him were hindered by the crowds and the tables.

Once he'd left the building he turned, trying to decide which way to go. It had been many years since he'd been on Venora and didn't have any idea where to find a doctor. The only person he knew was Feemy so he turned and headed back to the old man's home. He knew he wouldn't want to see him, but he had no choice.

It took him precious minutes to get to his destination and he worried that Daniel would not make it. Teal'c could feel the blood falling onto him from his friend.

When he'd finally arrived he knocked quietly but urgently on the door. It took a few minutes but Feemy opened the door.

"What are you doing here Teal'c? I told you to leave. I cannot be seen with you." Feemy's voice cracked in fear.

"I am sorry old friend but I have need of your help. My friend has been hurt and needs a doctor."

"Hurt? What happened? Was it Ba'al?" Since the visit of the two men earlier in the day he'd been paranoid that Ba'al somehow knew what he'd told these men.

"No it was a simple bar fight. A woman", Teal'c spat, "knifed my friend for no reason". I will have to return and kill her."

"No – if you want my help you must promise not to kill this woman." Feemy could see too many questions and too many people coming around his house if Teal'c were to carry out this threat.

"I must –"

"No, you must promise me, give me your word – you will not harm this woman. If you do not agree I will not help you."

Teal'c knew he had no choice. As much as it galled him he knew Daniel's life was more important than vengeance.

"All right old man. I will not harm her. Now let me in. My friend is in a bad way."

Feemy led him in and down a long hall to one of the bedrooms. Teal'c lay Daniel on the bed, seeing immediately how much blood his friend had already lost.

"He looks dead." muttured the trader of information.

"He is not dead", answered Teal'c with certainty. "He needs a doctor. Is there one you can trust?"

"Yes – Dr Fabro - but he's expensive."

"This is all I have", Teal'c pulled some of the small pieces of naquada Daniel had taken and put them in front of Feemy.

The ancient little man picked them up and examined them. "Hmmmm, not much. I tell you what, I will pay for the doctor – if you promise to leave as soon as he is well enough, and you promise never to return."

Teal'c looked at Feemy and nodded. "You will never see me again."

"Okay. I will be gone for a little while. Hopefully I will find him if he's not drunk.' When he saw Teal'c's worried look he laughed. "Don't worry, he's a great doctor if he hasn't been drinking. If he has, he's simply good." On that he left his house in search of the medic.

Teal'c attempted to clean his friend up while not disturbing the dagger that was still protruding from his middle.

"Daniel – why did you do this? Only for the sake of a worthless woman!" After a while there was no more he could do other than hope that Feemy would find the doctor.

It must have been almost a half an hour before his host came back, fortunately followed by a greasy haired little man. Teal'c was positive the man had shifty eyes. He just hoped he could trust Feemy's opinion of this man.

The doctor poked and prodded for awhile. He said a few Mmmmms and a few Hmmmms, but nothing substantive. Finally, he turned and grabbed his medicine bag and began pulling vicious looking instruments out.

"Boil some water", he instructed to Feemy. At least he had some idea of cleanliness, thought Teal'c. The doctor looked up at Teal'c. "You can help. You will need to hold him down if he wakes up while I fix the wound."

"Do you not have medicine to keep him sleeping?" Teal'c asked in surprise. He knew little about medicine, even now, but his experience with Janet and the Infirmary was that people were 'put to sleep' before any kind of surgery.

"Nope – don't have any of that. Where would I get it? Too expensive anyhow."

After he'd thoroughly washed his hands and equipment – and Daniel's torso, he was ready to begin.

"You will hand me the instruments as I need them." Teal'c just nodded, praying Daniel wouldn't wake up during the surgery.

Fortunately Teal'c wasn't squeamish, having witnessed many horrors in his life. He was worried when he saw the amount of blood that spurted out when the dagger was removed. The doctor quickly held a pad over the wound, pressing until the flow had slowed and then stopped. He then began to irrigate and clean the wound. Knife wounds could be wicked for infection.

It was just as he was cleaning the open wound that Daniel began to stir. At first his movements were small, but then he began to twist and turn. He was feeling the agony of the wound and the doctors movements.

"Stop! Tell him to stop Teal'c!" he gasped. "Hurts!" tears were running freely down his cheeks. Teal'c had to hold him tightly so he wouldn't move and disturb the doctor. Feemy had come into the room and was helping by holding Daniel's legs.

The wounded archaeologist began to beg, then groan and finally scream as the pain got too much. In the end he was sobbing. Finally, as Fabro finished and began to stitch the wound, starting with the deep layers of flesh, Daniel passed out, unable to take any more.

"It's a good thing", murmured the Doctor. "I'm surprised he lasted so long. He must be a very brave man."

Teal'c just nodded, feeling uncharacteristically shaky and unnerved. He had hated to see his friend in such pain and be unable to do anything about it.

"Yes, he is a brave man."

The Doctor finished up and bandaged Daniel. Leaving medicine "to stop the infection and the fever' and instructions he cleaned up his tools and left (after having accepted his 'payment' from Feemy).

"If you want to sleep Teal'c, there's a bed in the room next door." Feemy spoke gently, knowing how important the young man was to Teal'c.

"No, I will stay with my friend."

"As you will. Call me if you need anything."

Teal'c simply nodded, never taking his eyes off Daniel. He would stay until his friend was better. Leaving was not an option.

**Matsya's Planet**

Things had been going so surprisingly well that she was shocked when Jack practically bit her head off. She'd been working on the clasp of the medallion and she'd slipped, poking him slightly. It hadn't been bad, hadn't even broken the surface of the skin so she was taken aback when he'd shouted at her.

She looked up, unsure at first as to whether he was serious or not. When she saw his expression she saw that yes indeed, he was very serious.

Standing up from the bed where they'd been seated, she put the file away and walked to the little table. Without saying anything she began to work on one of her little 'inventions'.

Jack continued to sit on the bed and stare off into space. He eventually stood up and began to wander around the small room. It was clear he was feeling nervous and unable to sit still; unfortunately, there was little room to move. After stubbing his toe and swearing, knocking over some of their wooden dishes and finally kicking the side of the bed with all his might (and swearing mightily in pain) he turned and walked into the bathroom and slammed the door.

What the hell was wrong with him, she wondered. If he'd been a woman she would have suspected hormones, but this was just not like Jack at all. She wondered if the thing on his chest was somehow affecting him?

When he hadn't returned after almost an hour she began to get seriously worried. It was beginning to get dark and was almost time for bed. They didn't have any kind of lamp or light source so basically had to go to bed with the sun.

She walked over and softly knocked on the door. When there was no answer she knocked again. When he didn't reply the second time she gradually opened the door. What she saw worried her even more. Jack was sitting on the floor, wedged between the primitive toilet and the bath. He had his head buried in his hands and looked like he was shaking.

She knelt down beside him. "Jack. What is it? What's wrong?" He didn't answer so she reached out and touched his hand. He jerked away from her, mumbling "leave me alone."

"No Jack I won't. Please, tell me what's wrong." At that he looked up, an expression of anger on his face.

"Why? So you can kiss it and make it all better? Or maybe you'll come up with some genius invention and I'll be just fine. Samantha Carter saves the world again! No thanks – I don't need you."

She was about to stand up and leave him, angry at his words and the way he was treating her, but at the last minute she heard something in his voice that wouldn't let her move. It was as if he was trying to stir up his anger and hate – but that his heart wasn't in it. He didn't really believe what he was saying.

"No Jack – whether or not you need me I'm here and I'm not going anywhere – even if I could. I'm not leaving you." With that she sat on the floor, squeezed into the small space beside him in the tiny little bathroom. She sat with him until she could no longer feel her legs or her butt. She didn't know what this was about but just hoped she'd find out before she became permanently stuck to the floor.

Her thoughts must have carried through to him because all of a sudden he pushed himself to his feet. He went to walk out but at the last minute turned and reached his hand down to her, helping her to her feet. Then he turned and walked out. She limped after him.

He was standing in the middle of the room when she exited, looking at nothing. She walked up to him hoping he would acknowledge her. When, after a few seconds, he looked up she couldn't tell what the expression in his eyes meant. Without warning, he reached out and grabbed her and pulled her tight against his chest. Her heart began thudding, whether from fear or anticipation she couldn't quite tell.

Everything became still and quiet. Suddenly, without warning, he reached down and began to kiss her. The kiss was not gentle – it was frantic, angry, almost violent. At first she responded but then, as he became more agitated, angrier, she became frightened and began to pull away, except he wouldn't let her.

She began to struggle and this just inflamed him even more. He pulled her to him closer, tighter. It was when he began to turn her around, towards the bed, that she truly began to panic. She let out a soft sound of fear, all she could manage with her lips pressed to his.

It was that soft sound that brought Jack back to reality. He suddenly stopped and the realization of what he was doing began to filter through. With a cry he pulled back from her, releasing her completely. He looked at her shocked.

"Oh God – Sam, I'm sorry!" he cried, agony in his voice. "I'm so sorry, so sorry." He turned and again fell to the floor, head buried in his arms. Soon he began to sob – dry racking sounds that sounded so unnatural coming from this strong man.

It took her a few minutes but she finally began to feel calmer. She was eventually able to sit on the bed where she watched Jack. By now he was quiet and totally still, unnaturally still. He hadn't moved at all in many minutes. It was as if he was afraid of what would happen.

That was exactly the case. He believed he had just destroyed any friendship, any hope of anything with Sam. He had used her and hurt her like he had never done to any woman in his life. He was frightened – no terrified – of what had just happened but didn't want to see the terrible results of what he'd done.

A soft voice floated down to him.

"Jack"

He didn't believe it was real. Sam would not speak to him like that, not after what he'd done.

"Jack? Answer me. Speak to me. Please."

He looked up, not believing, yet hoping. He forced himself to meet her eyes. What he saw there made the tears run down his cheeks. All he saw was caring and compassion – and a question. She wanted to know why – and he had to try and tell her.

"I'm sorry Sam, truly I am. I don't know what got into me. Believe me, I've never done anything like that before. I promise – I won't hurt you – I wouldn't – I couldn't hurt you."

"I know Jack. I believe you. But where did that come from? Why did that happen? I don't blame you and I won't hold it against you, but I need to know. You owe me that much."

"Yes", he sighed. "I do. And I won't blame you if you do hold it against me." He paused as if trying to figure out how to tell her what was wrong.

"You know last night?" she looked at him curiously. She didn't remember anything unusual about the last evening "You were talking – about the days – about how long we'd been gone?"

Yes, she remembered that. She'd suddenly gotten curious about what day it was so she'd tried to figure it out.

'You sat there figuring out the dates. Suddenly you announced that it must be September 23rd. That's what did it."

"September 23rd? I don't understand. Don't you like that date?" she couldn't figure out what this was about.

"Not the 23rd – the 24th?"

"What about it?"

"I don't like it – September 24th. That was the day-" he stopped, unable to continue.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightening on a dark night, everything came clear. September 24th must be an anniversary – _the_ anniversary he dreaded each year.

"Is that the date- ?" she asked tentatively.

"Yeah", he spoke so softly she could barely hear. "That's the day my son shot himself with my gun. That's the day my life ended." He leaned his head down on his arms. She didn't know what to say or do. He was an intensely private man and, although they'd shared a lot these last few weeks, he'd never spoken about his son.

"I wasn't angry at you and I'm so sorry for what happened. I just felt so damned – useless – stuck here, unable to help either of us. And then I got to thinkin' about Charlie and the fact that I was a useless father – worse than useless – I killed him. I got so mad at myself but instead of taking it out on me I took it out on you. I'll never forgive myself for that."

She sat for a minute in silence and then began to speak.

"Seems to me you don't forgive yourself for a lot of things." He lifted his head and looked at her, surprise and – something else – in his eyes.

"I think maybe it's time you did. You're a good man Jack – but even you can't be expected to have all the answers, all the solutions, all the time. And you know what – you can't always be perfect either. You've made mistakes – tragic ones – but nobody is blaming you except you."

He sat there for a few minutes until finally he looked over at her. He looked so lost and forlorn she could no longer stay away. She moved over and sat down beside him. Leaning into him she offered the comfort of her presence. When he didn't move – out of guilt and fear – she reached over and put her arms around his chest and buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"I think you need some snuggle time", she whispered. He turned into her and leaned down so that his head rested on hers. She could feel the warmth of his tears trickling down her neck.

"I miss him so much!" Her heart broke at his words and she looked up, forcing his head up as well. She looked into his eyes, awash in tears, and felt her heart stir. Without thought and without motive she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. This time it was a gentle kiss, a kiss filled with compassion and tenderness and forgiveness …. and yes, with longing.

At first he sat there, not resisting, but not returning her kiss. As she continued, his lips grew soft and he carefully, gently followed her lead. He leaned in a little closer and began to take part. He allowed his mouth to open as she requested entry with her tongue. She continued to take the lead – they both needed that after what had happened – but he was fully engaged.

As the kiss continued it became less a kiss of compassion – and more one of passion. Soon they were seeking, looking for more – for something deeper and more meaningful. Without thought or plan they both fell over so they were lying on the floor, arms and legs entwined. Their mouths and hands grew more frantic, the breaths became shorter, the heart beats faster.

Soon, his hands reached under the short tunic, searching for the soft and inviting flesh of the woman he loved. Her hands reached down and felt that flesh on his legs that she'd viewed and longed for so much. She could feel his passion and his longing as his body gave away his desire. Their movements became more heated, more frantic.

It was only when they rolled into the side of the bed, Jack hitting his head, that they realized where they were. Jack stopped – his stillness quickly communicating to Sam that something had changed. She looked at him, a question in her eyes. He looked back also with a question. He rolled away from her and stood up – leaving her cold and alone.

As he stood there, looking down, they both knew they had come to a watershed moment. Now was the moment that things would go forward, or stay the same. In both their eyes was desire and love. But neither of them recognized the love in the other – only the desire. Could they move ahead or should they? That was the question.

Jack stood, one more second, and then reached his hand down. Sam grasped his fingers and pulled herself up. They stood there, one more minute, looking at each other.

Their decision was made.


	13. Time

_**So sorry everyone; this is a little, teeny, weeny chapter. I really didn't have time to write tonight but I didn't want to leave you hanging (or Jack either for that matter!), so here's something to keep you going. Sadly, I may not be able to update for a while as my family is coming to visit tomorrow!**_

**_So - will they or won't they?_**

**Venora**

Teal'c sat and watched his friend for hours. Daniel didn't move at all. He was deeply unconscious – so deeply that two or three times Teal'c checked to make sure he was still living.

It was early morning before Daniel began to stir. At first it was a slight twitching of his fingers, then his head started to move. Finally, Teal'c saw his eyelids flutter. A moment later Daniel opened his eyes.

It was obvious that at first he didn't know where he was or what had happened. He looked confused and then worried – until he turned his head and saw his friend sitting there. Instantly he relaxed. If one of his team was present, then everything had to be okay.

He fell back asleep almost instantly although he continued to move restlessly; the pain of his wound beginning to be felt even while sleeping.

It was a couple of hours more before he finally woke up, this time more fully. He looked over at his friend of many years and attempted to speak but his mouth was dry. Teal'c took the glass by the bed and helped him take a sip. Even the small movement sent pain shooting through his abdomen.

"Argh!" he cried breathlessly. "God damn it Teal'c – what happened." He closed his eyes trying to get back his equilibrium. Just the attempt to drink had made him almost pass out.

"Do you not remember my friend? You were stabbed by a woman at the place we stopped yesterday evening."

"A woman stabbed me?" Daniel asked, shocked. "Why would she do that?"

"She did not like your attentions, although she had clearly asked for them."

"My attentions? What are you saying Teal'c? I don't understand." The younger man was looking not only confused, but extremely perturbed at the thought of something that was just out of his grasp.

"Do not worry Daniel Jackson. It does not matter now. Now it is only for you to heal so that we may recover O'Neill"

"Yeah, I guess – and Sam – can't forget Sam either." Daniel's voice was beginning to fade. The pain was exhausting him and it was difficult to think.

"Yes – we must bring Major Carter back to face retribution."

"Huh? What Teal'c? What are you saying? I don't understand." He didn't like this – he didn't know what was happening, but something was clearly wrong.

"Major Carter was responsible for what has happened with O'Neill. She betrayed him."

"No, no Teal'c – Sam would never do that. She loves him, I know she does, even though she's seeing that guy – that – I can't remember his name. Why can't I remember Teal'c?" Daniel was becoming agitated and felt so sick. His head began to toss back and forth and a sweat had broken out on his face.

Teal'c reached over, a damp cloth in his hand, and started to gently wipe Daniel's face.

"Do not worry. Just rest my friend. There is time later to deal with what has happened. Sleep, and when you are better we will talk again."

It took a while, but finally Daniel fell back to sleep. Again, his friend, his comrade watched over him. If he could hold back the fever, the infection – and maybe approaching death – he would do so.

**Matsya's Planet**

"We can't Sam", he whispered and stepped back. It was probably the most difficult thing he'd ever done.

"I know", she answered, not moving, although every piece of her wanted to rush forward and take hold of him. Her nerves were quivering with desire and with love. She wanted him so badly – not to satisfy some physical urge – but to satisfy the deep longing within her.

They stood there, trying to gain control as the room became darker with the approach of night. They were both too frightened to attempt to go to bed. Their emotions, their bodies called out to each other.

Finally, Jack turned to walk to the bathroom. He had to get away – away from her, away from his desire; he could not take it anymore. The unfortunate thing – or maybe to them it wasn't unfortunate – was that he had to pass by Sam as he sought sanctuary. He moved carefully, not daring to touch her as he walked by - but his control was better than hers. As he moved, as he was almost past her, she couldn't help herself; she reached out and touched his arm.

That was all it took. It was like a match to dry kindling – they both ignited in a blaze of passion. The moment she touched him he turned and grabbed her, pulling her to him again. This time however, it was not in anger, but only in love.

This time – they fell on the bed and soon were wrapped around each other - but they could not get close enough, no matter how hard they tried.

Jack reached down and put his hand on her thigh. The feeling of soft skin, warm to the touch, drove him wild. He began to move his hand higher and higher until he felt the soft cotton of her shorts.

With a growl of frustration he reached until he felt the band around her waist. He tugged, but they were stuck. He tugged again, and this time she lifted her body so they would come off freely. Once they'd been removed, his hands moved back on their upward journey. Soon, his hand found, not warm flesh, but heat – the center core of her that was hot to his touch, hot with desire.

This time it was she who growled – a sound, a name – even she didn't know. She wanted him, she wanted him closer, deeper – but it was happening too slowly.

With another sound, this time a hum of longing, she moved. She took the lead and forced him back and down. Now it was her turn. She reached her hands into the waist of his pants – those pants that had driven her wild for weeks – and tried to push them down. They resisted; the tight leather adhering to his skin. She made a 'hmmph' of frustration and sat up, on her knees. With a look of total determination she put both hands in the pants and began to force them down.

"Watch out there", he laughed breathlessly. "you don't want to do any damage or this isn't going any farther tonight."

She looked at him briefly and grinned but continued to push. Part of the problem was the pants – but he wasn't helping – or at least his current state wasn't helping. He filled them out pretty tightly normally, now they were stretched to bursting.

"Here, let me help", he reached down to tug them off.

"Well finally! I thought you'd never offer." By the time the pants came off – and were thrown somewhere across the room – both of them were panting with desire.

Jack quickly reached down and tugged the tunic off Sam. Fortunately, it was loose and easy to remove. Now, they were nothing but flesh to flesh, no clothes, no inhibitions, no regulations – and certainly no hesitation – between them.

Although their desire for each other – their need to be as close as two humans can be – was flaming bright, they still spent time exploring and caressing each other. It was as if they knew that this might be the only time they would ever have this moment, this opportunity.

Jack couldn't believe the softness, the gentleness of the woman who lay beside him. He'd known she was sexy, and strong, and smart – and she could be tough – but tonight she was nothing but soft, warm womanhood. She enfolded him in a feeling of incredible desire but also of safety and comfort. It was what he had missed for so long. It was what he needed so desperately to make him whole again.

As he gently kissed her and caressed her – letting his tongue and his fingers stroke her body – he prayed that this memory would stay with him for a long, long time.

As Jack's fingers touched her skin, stroking her sides and her stomach and finally reaching the underside of her breasts, she knew that she had arrived. She had found what she had missed her whole life. At this moment, with this man, she felt truly alive and complete for the first time.

She moved her hands to his stomach and up, feeling the roughness and the hardness of his muscled body. She had forgotten about the chain and the rings so, when her hands stroked higher they ended up tugging the metal and pulling on his nipples. He groaned – not in pain – but in pleasure, the sensation like nothing he'd ever felt before.

For long minutes they continued their exploration; touching feeling, stroking – until finally they each moved to the center of the other. It was time – time to complete what had begun for them both so many years ago. Time to satisfy their desire, their longing – but more than that – it was time satisfy their love.

With a groan and a sigh he thrust into her. They were complete.


	14. Kopra and Roshu

_**Sorry for the long delay in posting. I've been enjoying having my family with me and haven't been able to write. Here is a short chapter, which I hope you enjoy. I'll try and update more regularly.**_

Over the next 24 hours Daniel drifted in and out of consciousness. Each time he awoke he was confused as to what had happened and where he was. Teal'c patiently explained each time, knowing that his friend would probably forget again. He knew that this was just a symptom of the injury and would improve with time.

What did worry Teal'c however, was the fact that Daniel seemed unable to understand that Sam was responsible for their predicament. The younger man kept trying to defend her, then would grow querulous, as if Teal'c were lying to him or trying to trick him.

It was almost 36 hours after he was wounded before Daniel finally seemed to regain some sense of what was going on. This time, when he awoke, he simply spoke softly,

"Teal'c"

"Yes Daniel Jackson. How are you feeling?" He expected to be asked again what had happened, but this time Daniel simply asked for water.

"Thank you", the archaeologist said softly, after he'd had a sip. "How long?"

"You have been here for a day and a half. You appear to be getting better. Your fever has fallen."

"Mmm. I still feel like crap", his voice still sounded weak and troubled. "Where am I?"

He had asked many times before, but this time he seemed to be aware and awake enough to remember.

"We are at the home of Feemy. Do you remember him?"

"Yeah. He's the guy who told us about Matsya and Ba'al. I'm surprised he let us in. I didn't think he wanted to see us again."

"He did not. I agreed that when you were better he would not see us anymore. That seemed to relieve him." When Daniel gave a small smile Teal'c felt he had to continue. "But he has been good to us. He paid for the doctor and has been helping watch over you. He is not a bad man."

"No, I guess not." His face pale and lined with pain, Daniel lay there quietly until he finally asked. "Teal'c – what were you saying about Sam?"

"Do you not remember Daniel? Samantha betrayed O'Neill and us. She was the reason he was captured by Matsya."

Daniel frowned, his mind still fuzzy with pain and fever.

"I don't see how Teal'c. She wouldn't do that, I'm sure of it. She loves him. She's loved him for a long time. Why would she have betrayed him?"

"Maybe because he did not love her in return?"

"No, that can't be right. She's seeing someone. I remember now. Paul I think, or maybe Pete? It just doesn't feel right. Why would she be angry at Jack for not loving her? It should be the other way around. She's the one who found someone else. It doesn't make sense."

"I do not know. All I know is that we both saw clearly that the women were evil and were planning to destroy us."

"The women? You mean all the women?"

"Yes Daniel Jackson – all the women."

"No, no that can't be right. ….. can it? I'm so confused Teal'c. One minute I'm sure you're wrong and the next I know exactly what you're trying to say. Sam is our friend – I'm sure of it. But then again, maybe she did trick us – like Hathor did." He started to get perturbed again with the worry and frustration.

"Enough! You will make yourself ill. Now is not the time to worry about this. You must get well and then we will join Ba'al's forces like we planned. We will find O'Neill and at that time we can determine whether or not Samantha Carter is guilty. If she is not, then nothing need happen – but if she is we will ensure justice is done

With that Daniel had to be satisfied although inside he was still torn in two by the thoughts of his friend – or maybe his former friend. He then began to think of Sha're – there is no way she was evil. Nothing, and no one, would ever convince him of that.

Over the next few days he continued to get better, although slowly. It wasn't until the fourth day that he was actually able to get up. He was only able to take a few steps before having to turn back and lie down. He was incredibly weak and dizzy and the wound burned terribly. He knew it would take a long time before he was well enough to join the Goa'uld army.

"Teal'c, how long did Feemy say we had before Ba'al was meeting with Matsya?"

"He said it was to be on the first day of Santash – about two and a half months by earth's time."

'How do we know where to find Ba'al's forces?"

"While you have been sleeping I have gone into the town and have begun to gather information. Feemy is also seeing what he can find although he is frightened to ask too much about Ba'al. I have been able to gather where some of his forces have gathered but not yet where Ba'al himself is. When I find out we will go there and offer ourselves to him."

"But you said he wouldn't need to see us."

"He will not. We will approach one of his Captains – we offer ourselves to the service of Ba'al – that is all."

"And they'll believe us? Won't they be concerned that we're spies?"

"Yes, they may, although I have heard that the System Lords are desperate for men – even Ba'al. Since the coming of the dreaded 'Tauri' it is said that many more Jaffa are leaving the service of the Gods." Teal'c had a small smile on his face, which Daniel returned. It was good to hear that they were having an affect. "I expect they will not worry too much although we will be watched for the first while. Just make sure you behave as a slave and keep your eyes down. Do not let your curiousity get you into trouble." Teal'c spoke sternly. He knew, as well as did O'Neill, that Daniel could let himself get so interested in 'finds' that he'd sometimes forget to be cautious.

'Yeah okay, I get it. Geesh, you sound like Jack."

"I am honored to hear you say so."

"Well, you can take it as a compliment if you like." As he lay back down his thoughts again returned to Sam. He still didn't know quite what to believe although Teal'c's conviction was having an effect. As much as he didn't want to think so, he began to believe that Samantha Carter was, in fact, evil.

**The SGC**

A brisk knock on the door caused him to look up.

"Enter", he put down the letter he was reading and watched as Dr. Frasier entered his office.

"What can I do for you Doctor?" he asked, hoping that she had something positive to report.

"I just wanted to let you know that we'll be ready to go by first thing tomorrow morning, Sir. Everything is ready."

"Are you sure this is going to work Janet?" the General asked, rubbing his chin. He was so tired and frustrated. As of yet they hadn't been able to find hide nor hair of any of SG1.

"I'd like to say I was sure Sir, but we're working with all sorts of unknowns here. I'm hopeful – the tests we've done on the alien substance indicates its affects are short term and, in small doses, shouldn't be harmful. Whether or not we can counteract the brainwashing – I just can't say General. We did try a couple of tests on some volunteers and the results were positive but that was in a highly controlled environment and we didn't want to try anything that would be harmful."

"What did you do?", he asked curiously.

"Well, Chavez volunteered. She confessed she hated Brussels sprouts so we gave her some of the alien drug and told her she really liked them."

"And ….?"

"Oh, it worked Sir – she couldn't get enough of the little green veggies. It was quite funny actually."

She quickly continued when the General simply raised his eyebrows. He wasn't in the mood for humor at the moment.

"Well, the next day we gave her some more of the drug and told her she hated Brussels sprouts again and that worked too. She went back to hating them. Told me her husband was grateful – he hates them too."

At this point Hammond did let a small grin appear. As far as experiments went it was kind of cute. He wondered for a moment if he could use some of the drug to stop his craving for apple pie. He'd started to notice his stomach wasn't as firm as it had been in his younger days.

"So … this seems to indicate it works?"

"Well, yes Sir. But, as I said, this was just a small test. We tried something similar on Siler and it worked as well but again – these were just two very small tests. There are lots of things we just can't factor in. I'm hopeful though."

"Alright – we'll keep our fingers crossed. So, tell me your plan again."

"Well, we're going to return – minus Chavez – she just doesn't look like a man. We've added Airman Armstrong; she's tall and strong." The General nodded, pleased. Armstrong was in security and it made him feel better than having only scientists or medical personnel on the mission.

"We'll ask if we can perform a ceremony of our own and invite some of the men. Even if we can only get one – Amdahl – it should be enough to tell if it works. The problem is going to be getting more of them there."

"Any ideas as to how you'll do that?"

"Not really. I expect it'll be hard. Our contingency plan is to get a hold of some of the drugs and rig something up so that we can go to the village and use it, along with the right message. If we can do that, and it works, hopefully we can undo the brainwashing."

"You really mean that you'll 'rebrainwash' them into believing something else?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I can't find any other way."

"So, what's the message you're planning to give?"

She smiled – about to tell him some of the suggestions – but then decided that could wait for another time and place. In fact, she'd save that for Jack. He'd love it!

"Well Sir, we're going to tell the men that women are their equals and are to be loved and respected. We have a bit more – we went over it with the base Chaplain and with a group of both men and women. We wanted something that wouldn't cause more problems later. We came up with something good I think. I just kind of wish we could use it here on earth!"

"You and me both Doctor! Nice job Janet. Let's just hope it works."

"Sir?"

"Yes?"

"Any word on Sam or the Colonel?"

"No, nothing. The Tokra have heard rumors but nothing substantive and they have no idea where they are. At least, they're not telling us."

"You don't think they'd hide it from us do you?"

"The Tokra? Oh yes, they'd hide it if they felt like it. The good news is we have Jacob and I know we can trust him. He was the one who told me of the rumors."

"What were they General?"

"Basically that they had been taken by Matsya and that there was something 'big' going to go down soon. What that is they don't seem to be able to say. At least it seems to indicate they're still alive."

They both stood for a moment, thinking about the two officers and friends who were missing. There was nothing harder than just waiting.

"And Teal'c and Daniel? Anything on them?"

"No – nothing. They seem to have disappeared into thin air. I go from worrying about them to wanting to kick their –" he stopped, figuring it wasn't appropriate for a General to say what he wanted to do to people under his command.

"I know Sir, I feel the same." Janet answered, clearly understanding both his feelings and his discretion. "I'd better be going General. We still have some things to prepare."

"Thank you Doctor. I'll see you at the briefing tomorrow at 9:00 am. Let me know if there's anything you need from me before then."

"Thank you Sir." She turned to the door. As she pulled it open she stopped and turned back. The General was sitting as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

"We'll get them back Sir – all of them."

He looked up at her and nodded. Yes – they would get them back.

**Matsya's Planet**

"My Lord!", D'jindra bowed low before his God. "I am here to serve."

"That is good D'jindra. I rely on you for your service." The Goa'uld sat in his gilded chair, looking down at his chief 'enforcer' and two of the eunuch priests who served in his 'temple'.

"Tell me, how are things with my breeders?" he asked. He had discovered the way to power and wealth. Not through fighting, as did he brethren Goa'uld – no, his way was much easier. He'd discovered the key to breeding healthy, strong and beautiful hosts who were in great demand. Now, with this last deal, he was about to put himself in league with the biggest players in the galaxy.

"They are well My Lord. We have 18 women who are pregnant and five newly born children. There are a number that will be ready for sale in a couple of months."

"Good, good. What about this latest shipment?"

"There were five women who were deamed appropriate as breeders. They have been matched with appropriate stud and should soon be pregnant. The rest have been made slaves and seem to be doing well."

"Hmmm" and now he came to the real reason he had called D'jindra. "And what of the Tauri?" he looked expectantly at his servant but was not pleased when he saw an expression of concern cross the little man's face.

"They were very resistant My Lord. We tried many things but they would not perform Mai'thun. We even gave the man Tishra and it didn't work."

"It didn't?" Matsya looked very surprised at that. He'd never heard of anyone withstanding Tishra.

"He fell asleep."

Matsya took a deep breath, feeling the anger build in him. If this didn't work he was in trouble and, if he were in trouble it meant people would die. The first to go would be D'jindra!"

"I assume you did something to 'fix' this."

"Well My Lord," D'jindra was starting to sweat. The two priests both looked sick. "the Tauri male told us that they could not perform Mai'thun – that Tauri were unable to do so until they were joined."

"Joined? What does that mean?"

"He told us that they needed to be together, alone, for a number of days. At the end of that time they perform a ceremony and then they can mate. Before that time they are unable and the woman is not fertile."

"And you believed him?" the Goa'uld practically shouted.

"No My Lord – I thought he was lying. But we brought the woman and tested her. What he said was true – she is not fertile. I decided to put them in Mithrad's house, alone. They are brought food and water and nothing else. In a few weeks we will perform this 'ceremony' and then they can mate. That will be enough time before you need to meet with My Lord Ba'al."

"Maybe. But how do we know it will work? How do we know they will, in fact, mate and that she will be fertile? And why didn't you take the male and breed him on some of the other women?"

At this D'jindra bowed low and the two priests moved away from him, trying to separate themselves from him and from the decision he'd made.

"My Lord Matsya, I knew how important the child of these two Tauri will be to you. I felt it was best to concentrate on them, on making sure they come together. For that reason I have been giving them Kopra."

There was silence in the room as Matsya stared at him. D'jindra could feel the cold sweat trickle down his back. He knew this could be the end of his life if the Goa'uld was unhappy with his decision. He suddenly began to breath again when he saw a small smile appear on his God's face.

"Kopra? Excellent. They do not know?"

"No. I have had it put into their food. It cannot be tasted."

"So, Kopra – that will make it difficult for them to resist."

"Yes My Lord." D'jindra debated whether to tell the rest but decided he had better be honest. If his Lord found out and he hadn't said anything it definitely would go bad for him.

"I have also had Roshu added."

"Roshu – together with Kopra? Do you not know what this will do?" Matsya sounded slightly peeved. Hopefully that didn't mean death.

"Yes My Lord. I know. It was a risky decision but again, I knew the importance of these two. The two drugs together will ensure the result you wanted."

"Yes, yes. Of course it will. But the effects can't be reversed. That means - "

"Is that bad My Lord?" the cruel little man asked.

Matsya stared at him for a moment, a blank expression on his face. Again, D'jindra knew his fate hung in the balance.

"No – I do not think so. It may limit us – but should make things more valuable." Matsya suddenly smiled, then began to laugh, a deep belly laugh. On anyone else it would have been infectious, on him it was plain terrifying.

"The poor Tauri. They do not know what is in store for them. I would like to see them when they realize. This could be very good D'jindra, very good indeed. You have done well. I will have to think of some suitable reward."

"Thank you My Lord. It is enough to serve you." He touched his head almost to his knees (those same knees that had been shaking in terror a minute ago).

"Do we have reports on them?" Matsya stopped laughing and looked seriously at his henchman.

"Yes, the slave woman Martia, she is keeping us informed. They trust her."

"And what of us? Do we trust her?"

'Yes My Lord. She has two daughters. It has been made very clear to her that if she doesn't help us they will be taken away from her. She is well and truly in our service."

"Excellent! A good day's work D'jindra. We will be taking the Tauri to meet with Lord Ba'al soon. They must be ready by then."

"They will be, My Lord, they will be."

**Mthrad's House**

The first thing he noticed was the smell. It was the scent of happiness and of comfort and of love. He knew, without opening his eyes, or even without thinking about it, that it was the scent that meant Sam. He was curled around her, his head resting against hers, his face buried in her hair.

He refused to let guilt, or consequences or the day ahead interfere with how he felt right now, at this moment. He was feeling a true sense of peace and joy. What they had shared was more than amazing. It had been truly a spiritual experience; one which he knew he would never forget.

That Sam would awaken and pull away from him, guilty over what had happened, he knew without a doubt. He knew her well. Knew too, that she would agonize over what she would feel she had done to her boyfriend. She would never knowingly betray anyone and especially not the man she loved. He felt a twinge of guilt himself, not for himself but for what he knew she would suffer. He also felt a core of sadness and regret. He loved a woman who loved someone else. But he refused to let that sadness grow and consume him.

No, he refused to let anything in that wasn't the joy of holding the woman he loved. The moment would be fleeting, he knew. He planned to savor it.

He felt her begin to stir and knew that the moment was about to end. He could feel the exact second at which she woke up and realized that she was being held in the arms of a man. Her body stilled, although her heart sped up. He waited for her to pull away, to take refuge in professionalism, in being the stoic and duty-laden soldier. She'd be embarrassed, horrified, but she'd attempt to get through it by claiming 'alien influence'. She would say to 'leave it in the room' again – to ignore it and go back to being colleagues. He would go along with her because he had no choice. He was her commanding officer and her friend. He would never force her into anything, but this was going to be one of the most difficult things he'd ever done.

She began to move again, this time to turn over. He was surprised, having expected her to move away. Instead, he waited for her to face him, pulling his arms away slightly although not moving the rest of his body which was pressed up against her. He worried that that would be too obvious, too dramatic a reminder of what they'd shared.

He closed his eyes, waiting for her words which would destroy his brief instant of happiness.

"Jack." her soft voice floated up to him.

"Hmm?" was all he could manage.

"Jack, look at me."

He managed to slowly open his eyes, although he avoided looking directly at her.

"Jack? What's wrong?"

Okay, not what he expected at all. Her words caused him to look down at her.

"Huh?" very intelligent reply Jack, he scolded himself.

"What's wrong? Are you …. regretting last night?" she asked hesitantly.

"God no!" burst from him with force. He closed his eyes again. Okay – too close to an admission there, Jack me boyo.

"I'm glad" she answered softly. "I'm not either." With those words she moved over and cuddled up against him.

He felt like his world had totally shifted. He couldn't figure out what was happening. It seemed so … out of character. At the same time, he couldn't help the spike of joy which rushed through him. Without saying anything he drew her to him, the feel of her body causing his to respond instantly.

"Sam", he whispered, "are you sure you want this?" He had to ask, although it was the last thing he really wanted to do.

"Yes", she answered deliberately, "more than anything. Now, quit talking." She reached up and kissed his neck, gently letting her tongue stroke the pulse point under his ear.

He shivered and pulled her up until she was on top of him. He looked her right in the eyes, studying her expression, trying to see if she meant what she was saying. When she looked back, clear eyed and honest, he sighed. He then slowly pulled her head down until their lips joined together.

He again refused to let anything but happiness fill his thoughts – except for the one, small, niggling doubt which he couldn't seem to get rid of. He wondered if they had been given some kind of alien drug.


	15. Betrayal?

**_I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Here's another chapter in the story. Please - let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!_**

**Mithrad's House**

The next few days were …. surreal. That's really the only way Jack could describe them. On the one hand, they were everything he'd wanted for a long time. He and Sam entered into a passionate and very pleasing 'affair'. She was warm and affectionate and very, very sexy. They definitely spent more time in bed than out of it. So, he couldn't have been happier, right?

The fact was that as much as he allowed himself to enjoy it, it didn't feel right somehow. He'd tried to discuss it with her many times but she would always stop him. She'd reach out and cover his mouth or quickly change the subject. She simply seemed to want to enjoy their time together without discussing consequences or where they should go from here. As each day went by it began to bother him more and more. By the fifth day he was certain that there was something seriously wrong. This couldn't be natural. His thought about an alien drug began to seem more and more likely.

He sat at the small table, contemplating what to do, when Sam came up behind him and put her arms around his shoulders.

"Hi" she whispered in his ear. She then began to nibble on that same ear. He allowed himself to enjoy it for a minute but then, with a sigh, he reached around and grabbed her hands. Twisting, he turned to face her.

"Carter, sit down. We need to talk."

"Talk is overrated Jack. Let's not." She pulled her hands away, took his face in her hands and bent over to kiss him.

He grabbed her hands again and stood up, pulling back from her.

"No Major, that's enough. We have to talk. Please, just sit down." He pushed her towards the other chair and insisted she sit. He took the other chair and sat facing her.

Sam's face became taut with worry. She very clearly didn't want to have this conversation. Jack had been concerned that she had been acting strangely because of some chemical influence, but now he wasn't sure. Her reaction seemed to indicate she knew something was wrong.

"Carter, what's going on?"

"What do you mean Jack?" she asked, trying to sound innocent. "You know what's going on. You've been an active participant you know." Deal with that, O'Neill, she thought to herself.

"I know Sam", he sighed, "but we can't go on like this. I shouldn't have let it get this far."

"Really? Why did you if that's not what you wanted?" she asked, anger building in her voice.

"I don't know. It was wrong and I'm sorry – but we have to stop. I think maybe we've been under the influence of some kind of drug."

"Oh, you mean like the stuff that was in the cake you ate on Kynthia's planet?"

He looked at her, surprised at her tone of voice. Yes, something was definitely off.

"Yeah, maybe. Look Sam, we've been …. well, you know what we've been doing, and we haven't talked about it."

"Didn't you like it?"

'That's not the point Carter. The fact is that we're prisoners on an alien planet and we should be working on getting out of here, not spending our time humping like bunnies!" his voice had risen until he was almost shouting. Why wasn't she helping him out here?

At that her expression changed. He could see the tears gather in her eyes and she looked incredibly hurt. God, why had he spoken like that? He was just so frustrated and so – thrown – by what had happened. He couldn't forget that she was in love with another man. The last few days had shown him how much he was missing – and how hard it was going to be when they returned to earth.

"I'm sorry Sir. I thought you were happy. I would never have continued if I thought you didn't like it." She actually sniffed, which made him feel even guiltier.

"Oh, for God's sakes, Sam, of course I liked it. You're a beautiful and desirable women – what I can't figure out is why you wanted to keep going – unless you - ur we were under some influence. I know you're not interested in me. You have someone" (oh shit, O'Neill, why did you bring that up? From her expression she had either been ignoring that fact, or had forgotten it due to whatever drug they had slipped her). "What I mean is you wouldn't have done this – with me – in your right – I mean if you hadn't been drugged … or something." His voice faded out as he realized he was only making things worse.

"No Sir, you're wrong. I did want to – I mean I do. I'm not under any influence, really."

"Then why Sam?" He wanted to believe it was because she cared for him but somehow, looking at her, he didn't think that was the reason she had let this continue.

She looked back at him, not sure what she should, or could say. She'd known it couldn't last but she had tried, over the last few days, to simply enjoy the time they had together. She'd refused to think about anything beyond the fact that she was with the man she truly loved. She'd known there was no way they could ever be together on earth but she'd allowed this to be a time out of time. She knew she couldn't tell Jack this. It would place an unfair burden on him, if she admitted to loving him.

"They threatened to – hurt you Sir – if we didn't, you know. I couldn't allow that to happen."

He sat there silent, stunned by her admission. If she had been drugged he could have accepted it. A part of him had also lived in hope that she felt something for him. This was devastating however. She had spent the last five days making love with him, giving him a false sense of hope and love, all to save him from being made into a eunuch.

"Thanks" he said "nice to know what lengths you'll go to to help me Carter." He stood up and turned towards the bathroom. It was the only place he could go to get away from her.

"Sir!" she called, realizing he was angry and upset.

"Leave it Carter." he walked into the little room and softly closed the door. Sitting on the floor he buried his head in his hands. What had he done? Why had he let this get this far? He really couldn't fault her could he?

It didn't matter what he said to himself. He was angry, furiously angry. She had pretended to feel something for him – even if it was only physical desire – simply to help him. She really didn't feel anything more than friendship and concern for him. Somehow he equated that with pity, which he hated.

As he sat there, trying to calm himself, he realized that something inside him had finally died. Maybe it was hope, maybe it was the illusion that, even though she was now with another man, there was a part of her that did love him. Now he knew – and now he had to accept it.

It was a long time later before he felt ready to come out and face her. When he was sitting there, alone, he had come to a decision as to how they should behave going forward. It would be difficult, but he was determined. He stood up and, with a deep breath, opened the door.

Sam was still sitting at the table, her head held in her hands. It looked as if she'd been crying although her eyes and face were now clear of tears. She looked up as he entered the room.

"Jack – "

"Just tell me one thing Major. Is there any possibility that you could be pregnant or is the birth control still working?"

"Uh – it should still be working for a few more weeks."

"Good." He walked over and grabbed a drink from the pitcher on the counter.

"Jack – "

"That's Colonel, Carter." He drank a full glass of water and then turned to her, although he refused to look at her.

"From now on we'll maintain military discipline Major. We should never have let ourselves get so …. casual …. with each other. We'll forget the last few days and concentrate on getting out of here." He finally looked up at that even though he still couldn't quite meet her eyes. "Do you understand Major?"

She paused for a moment, wanting to say more, but looking at Jack's face she knew she couldn't push it – not now.

"Yes Sir."

"Good. Then let's see if we can't get this damn thing off my chest. When Martia returns we'll see if she has any more information for us. We need to plan our next moves. I'd like to get out of here sooner rather than later."

Sam stood up and got the file. Returning, she moved her chair in front of Jack and began to file the medallion. It was difficult, more difficult than it ever had been. This time, looking at his chest only served to remind her of what had happened over the last few days. She still desired him; could feel the heat rising in her core, but she knew he no longer desired her. She had to keep her head lowered, concentrating on her work, in order not to let J – the Colonel know what she was thinking.

The next few days were difficult, more difficult than either of them thought possible. The warmth, the friendship they'd shared, even before entering into a physical relationship, was gone. In its place was a cold professionalism. Other than discussing tactics and a plan of action, they didn't speak with each other. Nights were the worst. They both kept as far away from each other as possible, backs turned towards the other.

It had been horribly embarrassing when, on the second night, she'd awoken to find herself curled up against the Colonel's back. She could hear from the sound of his breathing exactly the moment he woke up. He didn't say anything, or turn, he simply pulled away from her and moved closer to the edge of the bed. With a silent whimper she turned over and hugged herself. She desperately needed comfort and there was no one there to give it to her.

They had gotten as much information from Martia as she was able to give. They knew the layout of the camp, how many guards there were, how many priests and slaves. They knew the timing of the various shifts and where everyone was at any given time. The information was extremely valuable, but would only be useful if they could get the damn chain off his chest.

Right from the beginning the thing had disgusted him. Each time he looked down he'd see these – things – hanging from where there should not be things hanging. It made him feel like some kind of freak. The last few days however he'd kind of enjo – no stop thinkin' about that O'Neill. Now he wanted them off even more than ever.

He was sitting quietly at the table, trying to figure out anyway to get them out of this situation when he heard footsteps approaching. There was more than one person approaching and the steps were louder than Martia's. He stood up and faced the door, wondering what was up.

As the door opened he saw two of the guards and in the middle one of the little priests. For the life of him he couldn't remember the guy's name.

"Why hello there." He said, offering an insincere smile. "Come for a visit? Afraid we don't have too much to offer guests. So sorry, guess you'll have to leave."

"You will come with us." The priest looked at O'Neill.

"Ah, come on. You don't really want me do you? I'm not very much fun." The priest simply nodded to the guards. One of them pulled out the disc and activated it. When Jack fell to the ground in agony the other guard reached down and lifted him up and slung him over his shoulder. He turned and walked out.

The priest looked at Carter and smiled. For some reason that sent shivers up her spine.

"We will bring him back. I hope you are well?" When the woman didn't answer he continued,

"Your man should miss you." He laughed. Turning he walked out, closing the door behind him.

She looked after him, puzzled by his expression and his words. For some reason she was perturbed by what he'd said, although in and of itself it hadn't been ominous.

As she sat waiting for Jack to return she thought about the last few days. She knew that somehow she had to fix things, she just didn't know how. She was just so tired of everything and wished, that just once, she and the Colonel could speak openly and honestly to each other.

By the time they'd arrived at D'jindra's 'Chez Torture', Jack was feeling better although he wasn't particularly comfortable slung over the Jaffa's shoulder. When they arrived the guard simply threw him down – which was even less comfortable.

"Aaargh", he cried as he struggled to sit up. He had some new bruises now although looking up and seeing both the little priests plus D'jindra he knew they were the least of his worries.

Before he'd had a chance to stand the two guards had each grabbed one of his arms and pulled him to a standing position.

"Thanks guys", he brushed himself off. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" The little rat simply gestured to the guards who were still holding on to him. Without a sound they lifted him up to the metal table and quickly strapped him down. God no, he thought. Not again.

"Hey, what do you want this time?" He struggled to see what was going on. D'jindra turned and walked towards him, holding some kind of long tube and what looked like a really vicious needle.

"Ah – what's that?" he looked at the needle. He began to sweat when no one was answering his questions. He struggled against his bonds but they were too secure.

"Interesting clothes." D'jindra looked down at his leather pants. He looked up to the guards. "Remove them."

"Come on – you don't need to do that. I haven't done anything wrong. Come on – this is ridiculous." Rather than trying to pull the tight pants off one of the Jaffa simply took out a knife and slit the leather down the sides (he didn't seem to care that he'd also sliced Jack's legs at the same time).

"Ow – whadya do that for?" He knew it wasn't serious but it stung.

When the pants had been removed Jack was again lying naked and was feeling terribly vulnerable. He had no idea what was going on.

The torturer took the needle and, with a grin, walked up to Jack.

"We need to find out and this is the best way." He then plunged the needle into the same area as the last time.

"Oh Shit!" Jack struggled again. This time D'jindra left the needle in and attached the tube. He then began to draw fluid out with the needle.

"You could have asked if you'd wanted to know." Jack gasped, feeling sick. Finally, D'jindra was done. He pulled out the needle and walked over to his table. He took the tube and put it into some kind of machine. As Jack lay on the table, trying to get his breathing under control, the gnome of a man continued to do something at his work station.

"Take the Tauri and see if he has been affected by the Kopra and Roshu. I want to see if it has worked."

He was quickly unstrapped and pulled off the table. He was made to stand although he wanted to bend over and clutch his 'unmentionables' – he hurt terribly from the needle.

"Hey, aren't you going to tell me what this is about? And what are Kupra and Roshu?"

D'jindra turned and looked at the man in front of him. Considering him for a moment he finally decided to answer.

"You have been given Kopra – a drug I created to help make strong and healthy hosts. I have tested your seed to see if it worked on you."

"And did it?" Jack felt sick, knowing that this man had been screwing with his body.

"Yes indeed. You will father excellent hosts."

"So, this Korpus stuff – you snuck it in our food? Does it do something else? And what's the other stuff?"

"Yes, it has been in your food. It will affect you and the woman the same – enabling you to make wonderful hosts for our Gods. The Roshu?" here he grinned, "that was to help you with the Mai'thun. It is for those who are – hesitant."

"So, you're telling me it's some kind of aphrodisiac?" Jack began to feel slightly better. Maybe the drug had affected Sam after all.

D'jindra looked puzzled for a moment. This was a word he did not know.

"It only enhances what one feels for another. If you had hated the woman it would have increased that emotion. But I believe, from your actions, that you love her. The Roshu simply works with what you feel already."

Damn – that meant that Sam had only done what she had to protect him, like she'd said. If the Roshu only worked on already present feelings then it clearly hadn't influenced her. It did, however, explain why he'd let it go on as long as he had.

As the guards went to pull him out of the house he realized D'jindra hadn't explained why they were taking him – and where they were taking him – to see if the drugs had worked. Hadn't he already figured it out?

He was dragged back into the large temple and down the same corridor as before. One of the Jaffa opened a door, halfway down, and they took him inside. The room was decorated in shades of red and pink. As he looked around he thought that it looked like some kind of 18th century bordello. The thought had barely crossed his mind when one of the guards shot him with something and he passed out on the bed.

He awoke to a soft, and very naked, body pressed up against his. He could tell, almost instantly, that the body was not Sam's. This woman, whoever she was, didn't have that warm, clean smell that he associated with Carter.

He quickly became aware that whoever was beside him was very intent on getting him aroused. Her hands and lips moved sensuously over his body. He pulled back and looked down. He saw a beautiful, young, dark haired woman with ruby red lips and exotic eyes staring back at him.

She began to smile, giving him a very knowing look. It was obvious that this was no reluctant virgin. This was a very experienced courtesan by the looks of her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Surely you know, Tauri."

"Let me rephrase the question – "why are you doing what you're doing?"

"To give you pleasure."

"Okay, but why? So far good old D'jin boy hasn't been too concerned with my 'pleasure'.

She looked confused for a minute but then realized who he was talking about.

"D'jindra rewards those who honor the gods. He said you have done well so I am your reward. Now, you must stop talking and simply enjoy." With that she resumed her exploration of his body.

At first he thought about stopping her but then decided 'what the hell'. He might as well get some enjoyment out of this experience. Sam had her own guy – she and Pete had certainly been doing the horizontal tango for a while so why shouldn't he enjoy some too. Maybe this way he'd begin to get Carter out of his mind. As a pang of guilt washed over him he immediately quashed it. He didn't have anything to feel guilty for. They were teammates – nothing more.

He turned to the woman – he didn't even know her name – and began to kiss her passionately. He allowed his hands to roam over her very soft, voluptuous body. She was much fuller than Carter, he realized – stop that Jack – keep your mind on present company.

He attempted to deepen the kiss, wanting to lose himself in the oblivion of meaningless sex. All he could do, however, was compare everything to Sam.

After a few minutes, in which nothing happened other than some fierce groping, he pulled away. His body absolutely refused to cooperate.

He wasn't someone who had ever indulged in one night stands (okay, maybe a couple when he first joined the Air Force and before he'd met Sara) preferring to have a deeper relationship with the woman he was with. But, he couldn't remember there ever being a time when he … couldn't. He was a pretty normal man and he had a gorgeous woman wrapped around him – and yet nothing was working.

He seriously tried focusing on the woman and then tried some serious fantasizing (that always worked!) but still, nothing happened. The woman, when she realized what was – or wasn't – happening even tried to help. Not only didn't that work either, he found it incredibly unpleasant.

In fact, as each second passed he realized that he was feeling sicker and sicker. The touch, the smell, even the sight of the woman in bed with him was making him feel incredibly nauseous. His head began to pound and he began to feel weak.

With a groan he rolled over and off the bed, falling to the floor where he remained, curled into a little ball. He worried that something was seriously wrong. He didn't remember ever feeling so sick without something having happened to cause the feeling.

"Are you okay?" The woman looked down at him from the bed. If he had looked up he would have seen an unpleasant smile on her face. As it was, he just felt embarrassed.

"Sorry, not feeling too well."

"Can I help you?" She began to swing her legs off the bed, preparing to jump down.

"NO!" he shouted. "No", more quietly this time. "I'm fine. I think I just need to be alone for a while and sleep. It's been a busy day." Maybe that was it, he thought. It must have been that needle that D'jindra had jammed into him. That was enough to discourage any guy for a while.

"All right. I will leave you to sleep. I will have one of the guards bring you some food in a little while." She dropped her feet to the floor and prepared to walk out. With one final smirk she returned and bent down to where Jack still lay on the floor. She drew her hand over his back and down to his buttocks, caressing him softly.

"Stop, please", he cried. Her touch sent jolts of agony through him. With one final touch she stood and walked from the room.

**D'jindra's House**

"So", the evil little man asked.

"They have worked. The Kopra and Roshu have combined and he was unable to perform with me. In fact, my presence quickly brought him agony." The woman had greatly enjoyed making the Tauri suffer. She was one of D'jindra's best prodigies. She only wished she were a man so that she could have taken him forcibly and brought him even more pain.

"He was in pain?" D'jindra looked surprised. "He has reacted more strongly than usual. It may be because he has received so much – or maybe it is because of his desire for the woman." This time it was D'jindra who smiled. "Whatever the reason, he will forever be bound to her. He will not ever be able to enjoy another woman's touch or her love. The poor man." He laughed and invited his protégée to join him in a drink to their God.

The 'poor man' just managed to pull himself to the bed where he collapsed in exhaustion and pain. All he could think of was the fact that he'd just betrayed the woman he loved, even if he'd been unable to finish what had been started. He knew Sam didn't love him – but he still felt like he had to be faithful to her.

With a quiet sob of anguish he closed his eyes and tried to sleep and to forget what he'd done.


	16. Cold

**_Another chapter folks. Thanks for all the great feedback. If I don't always get back to you individually it doesn't mean I don't greatly appreciate it - it's simply a matter of time!_**

**Venora**

"I have arranged for transport Daniel Jackson", Teal'c had arrived back after having been gone most of the day. He and Daniel had been on Venora for almost three weeks and were now ready to join Ba'al's forces.

Daniel's wound had been deep and it was only in the last few days that he had felt well enough to even consider leaving the planet. If truth be told he could have used more time to recuperate; he was still weak and very sore. Still, he was anxious to get going and rescue Jack and so had convinced Teal'c that he'd be okay. Since the Jaffa was also concerned about his friend and commander, he had agreed. It had taken a few days for them to arrange a ride but now they were ready to leave.

"You're sure you know where we're going?" the archaeologist asked. It had also taken a while to discover where Ba'al's main forces were camped.

"I am sure. I have arranged a flight with a number of Jaffa who are planning to offer themselves to the service of Ba'al. We will accompany them which will be better for us."

"Jaffa? Where are they from?"

"They have served different Gods' all who have been destroyed – Hathor, Apophis, Ra. They are without masters so go to one they perceive is strong."

"There are some of Apophis' Jaffa going? Teal'c, isn't that dangerous? What if you are recognized?"

"They were very young and did not know me. As long as I keep my head covered I will be fine."

"And you're sure they will let you do that?"

"Yes – as long as I claim to be from Andor no one will question me. It means death for one of that tribe to let his head be uncovered."

"Death to whom – the Andoran or the one seeing him?"

"Both"

"Oh, okay then – but what if there is someone there from Andor? Won't that person know you're not from there?"

"We must hope that does not happen."

"That's it? We just hope no one from Andor shows up?"

"Yes. But do not worry. It is highly unlikely. They do not often leave their home planet. What is more important Daniel Jackson is that you learn to behave as a slave. You must always defer to me and never look in the face of either a Jaffa or a Goa'uld. Can you do that?"

"Hey, no problem. I've done it before remember. And anyway, the last thing I want to do is look at either of those guys – present company excepted of course."

"Of course." Teal'c looked at him for a minute, obviously still worried. Although whether it was because of his wound or his ability to act the slave Daniel wasn't sure. Whatever the reason, Teal'c knew they had little choice if they were locate and save Jack.

They had agreed, after quite a few arguments, not to speak of Sam. She was in the back of both of their minds but they'd agreed to take a 'wait and see' attitude. Daniel knew that Teal'c was convinced of Sam's guilt but he still had his doubts. He knew if his large friend found Sam first it would not go well with her. He was afraid that Teal'c would simply shoot first and ask questions later. He knew it was imperative that he find her first.

They finally gathered the few supplies they had managed to buy, beg or borrow and prepared to depart. Feemy came into the room to say goodbye. He'd been good to them but was clearly glad to see them leave. He'd been hearing rumblings of Ba'al being on the move and didn't want to get caught up in anything.

As he stood there, watching the two Tauri prepare to leave, he felt a small twinge of concern. He hoped that they would be successful although he also hoped they would not return to Venora. He wanted his life back to normal.

Just before they two men left he told them to wait. He had something for Teal'c. He walked over to a drawer and pulled out what looked like a bandana. Returning, he handed it to the large man.

"Here, use this. It may help you." Teal'c took it and looked down. It was an Andoran head covering but, sown into the part covering the forehead was Ba'al's emblem.

With a nod of thanks Teal'c removed the one he was wearing and placed the new one on his head, wrapping it so that his forehead was covered. He reached over and handed Daniel his old one.

"I think it best that you cover your head as well Daniel Jackson. As my slave it would be fitting." Daniel took it and placed it on his head, wrapping it as Teal'c had done.

The two were finally ready to go. With a quick 'thank you' to Feemy, they left the house and headed to the rendezvous point.

"Let me do the talking Daniel. You are to speak only when I say you may. The other Jaffa may try and bother you but always defer to me. I will ensure they leave you alone. It is considered bad manners to interfere with another's slave although some will try. You may speak with the other slaves when you are alone but be cautious. They will report anything suspicious to their masters so you must not appear too inquisitive. Simply keep your eyes and ears open and you may learn something of importance."

Daniel agreed, knowing that their lives depended on his discretion. It was not going to be easy but he had had to do much worse in his years with SG1.

They met up with the other Jaffa and slaves who were heading out to join Ba'al at a seedy looking tavern in the oldest part of the town. Daniel's first thought was that he would never want to be caught in this place alone. Being surrounded by a whole bunch of very tall Jaffa was actually a comfort. Something he wouldn't usually have been thinking.

The one in charge – clearly the man arranging the transport – told them all to follow him once everyone had arrived. In all there were 12 Jaffa and at least that many slaves. Although a couple of the soldiers didn't have servants, some had more than one. These Jaffa must have come from wealthier families, or they had done extremely well in the service of their former 'gods'.

He looked carefully at the two Jaffa who had Apophis' mark on their foreheads. They hadn't seemed to react to Teal'c at all, so maybe his friend was right – they had no idea who their traveling companion was.

For the purposes of the trip and their secret foray into Ba'als ranks they had taken the names 'Tro'han' for Teal'c and "D'nor' for himself. He just had to make sure he remembered that! It was a bit simpler for him as he simply referred to Teal'c as 'my Lord'. He knew that once this mission was over he'd hear a lot about that one from his friends.

They reached the transport vessel. Daniel's first thought, on looking at it, was that he hoped it wasn't going to be a long flight. It was going to be very crowded and the ship looked like it was on its last legs (or boosters or whatever). He really wished Sam were with them right now.

They made their way onto the ship and there was immediate jostling for space. It became quickly obvious who the 'strong ones' were as they were the ones who got the best spots. Daniel had to hide his grin – Teal'c got the best space of all in the corner, behind a bulkhead. It meant they had some privacy and also a larger space to throw their things. The fact that Teal'c had spent years as a First Prime was very clear. He knew how to command respect – and to instill fear.

As Daniel laid out their bedding Teal'c made his way over to talk to some of the other Jaffa. He was determined to not only fit in, but to establish himself as a force to be reckoned with. He also knew that by getting to know the others he'd be able to find out more information.

He made his way over to a small group of three or four Jaffa who were seated and engaged in conversation. As he approached they stopped talking, all looking at his head covering. Andorans were known to be fierce fighters and they were being cautious.

"Greetings", Teal'c bent his head in a sign of respect to the others who all returned the gesture. He sat and then pulled a flask from his pocket and with a silent inquiry, offered it to the others.

With a small hesitation the first Jaffa, a man formerly in the service of Ra, took the flask and drank. He then passed it on until all had taken a sip. Daniel did not know it but this small ritual was very important. Any Jaffa would hesitate to kill another with whom he had shared food or drink – at least until it was proven that person was truly an enemy.

"How long until we arrive at my Lord Ba'al's encampment?" Teal'c asked, once the flask was returned to him.

"I've heard it will take about 7 suns", one of Hathor's former Jaffa answered. "Although looking at this vessel I think it may take longer."

"If we get there at all", laughed another, older Jaffa. "This looks like something culled from the garbage heap."

They all laughed at this. Daniel guessed that Jaffa would simply laugh in the face of fear. He knew they had a very 'machismo' society.

The group chatted about inconsequential things for a while, often simply bantering back and forth. Daniel had rarely had the chance to observe Jaffa culture in action. Usually he was engaged in shooting them, not watching them joke with each other.

As much as he often found Jack's humor to be incomprehensible, he admitted to himself that he still got it more than Jaffa humor. He listened to the things that were causing laughter to erupt and just shook his head. He really didn't get Jaffa humor at all.

It was after about 20 minutes of Jaffa 'chit-chat' that Teal'c was able to broach a more serious subject. Turning to the former servant of Ra he asked,

"For what reason do you seek to serve my Lord Ba'al?" The dead silence that followed that enquiry caused Daniel to look up in concern. Had Teal'c blown it?

With a sigh and a small laugh, the Jaffa turned to Teal'c and answered.

"My Lord Ra, whom I served since a child, was killed in battle. I now have no master. Lord Ra was powerful – the most powerful of the System Lords. I have heard Ba'al is like him and one whom I will be proud to call master." He paused and then looked at Teal'c. "But how is it that you do not know this? Surely you have heard of the fate of many of the Gods?" The others now looked at Teal'c suspiciously. How quickly things could turn, thought Daniel.

Teal'c turned and gazed at the speaker calmly. Without a blink he spoke. "I have spent the last seven years on a personal journey in a holy place called Shayan." Daniel choked – what are you doing Teal'c?

"Shayan?" One of the younger of the Jaffa asked. "I have not heard of this place."

"No, you would not have." Teal'c answered. "It is known only to the most wise, most learned of Jaffa. It is a place of great learning and great power. I have spent many years there finding the truth."

"The truth about what?" Hathor's Jaffa asked.

"The truth about the universe and our place in it." By this time there was quiet throughout the room, the other Jaffa having overheard. Everyone was mesmerized by Teal'c's quiet confidence and power.

"And what did you learn of our place in the universe?" the older Jaffa asked, clearly unconvinced.

"It is not something I can say in a few short minutes. It would take years. I learned many lessons from great masters such as Han Solo and Dis'nee. I learned of the great wisdom of Yosemite Sam and that Wile E Coyote will never capture the roadrunner, not until he learns the truth of ACME." Daniel had to hide his head under his arms. He was afraid he was either going to dissolve in laughter or throw up from terror – he couldn't quite tell which was more likely.

"I have not heard of this 'Wile E Coyote'" said a Jaffa from Apophis service. "Was he Jaffa?"

"Yes – he was a fiercesome Jaffa who lost his way. He became obsessed with one enemy and lost sight of his greater purpose." Turning to the others he continued to speak. "During my time in Shayan I did not learn what was happening in the present – I learned to look to the future. On my journey I had many wise and wonderful teachers who taught me my true destiny. I would hope that one day each of you could learn of these wonderful things."

"So tell me Teal'c", asked the older Jaffa. "What is your destiny? Is it not to serve my Lord Ba'al?" Here was a direct challenge. Daniel waited, holding his breath, to see how Teal'c would deal with this.

"I am here because this is the way to the one whom I honor and revere above all others. I would not be here did I not believe that he lay at the end of my journey. This I learned in Shayan. I am here in service to him – and will happily die for him."

The others, including Daniel, all breathed a sigh of relief at Teal'c's declaration. Daniel couldn't believe how Teal'c had dealt with everything, satisfying the Jaffa while not lying in the least. The entire story also gave Teal'c the opportunity to ask questions of the Jaffa. As someone who had been on a personal 'journey' for seven years he could legitimately ask questions about all that had happened during that time.

"Teal'c – you're one brilliant Jaffa." Daniel muttered under his breath. This was going to be a very interesting trip!

**P8V 359 ****Amdahl's Planet**

"The men will not take part in any 'foreign' ceremony. They feel it would be blasphemous." Amdahl was speaking to Griff, the spokesperson for the group that had returned.

"How is it blasphemous?" Griff answered. "We do it to honor your people, to thank you for your hospitality. We certainly do not want to hurt or offend you."

"I understand but many of my brothers are not so forward thinking", Amdahl answered. He was confused by these people and didn't know quite how to deal with things. Since most of the women and all the children had been taken his world had been thrown in turmoil. Nothing he had been taught or had grown to believe was working anymore. Maybe these people could help – or maybe, as many in the village were saying, they would lead to their destruction.

"I tell you what", Griff continued. "Why don't you join us? You can see if you think it's okay. After that, if you're satisfied, you can talk to the others. If they're not interested then, well, we won't bother you any more. We just want to share this with you, especially now that you have been blessed with the removal of your women." Griff almost choked on his own words but he knew he had to play along with the men. He really hoped this whole thing would work.

He looked over at Doc Frasier, who was keeping her head down. She knew that a lot was riding on this experiment but she was being very discrete. Normally she would have jumped in and taken charge but this time she let Griff handle things. As he glanced over at the other women it struck him, not for the first time, what an amazing group of people he worked with on a day-to-day basis.

Turning back to Amdahl he could tell the man was tempted. What would make him take the final step?

"So Amdahl – as leader of this village you are the one to make the choice. You are clearly a fine and wise leader so I will say no more. I do hope that you will let us honor you however. It would bring us great joy." Janet looked up and glared at him – okay, he was laying in on a bit thick but he had to do _**something**_ to convince the man.

"All right" Amdahl answered, his voice sounding scared. "I will be honored to be part of your ceremony. Afterward I will decide whether or not to tell my people. Come, let us go now before the sun goes down.

Once Amdahl had made the decision he wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. He turned and began walking to the temple. Surprised at the quickness of the decision the group from earth quickly gathered their things and followed.

When they arrived at the temple Griff asked Amdahl to run through the various parts of the ceremony with him. Armstrong stood close behind, wanting to make sure she kept an eye on everything and didn't allow anything to happen to her 'charges'. Janet accompanied them as well, checking to make sure that this would work.

Once everything was ready Griff said he would go out again and 'stand guard'. When the local man looked at him in surprise, and some suspicion, Griff quickly explained.

"It's part of our ceremony. The leader is expected to watch over to make sure all are safe. It's only ceremonial but it's considered important. I'll wait outside until you are done."

Amdahl still seemed bemused by the whole thing but he nodded. These strangers were odd but he was willing to go along with it for now. He still hoped they could help him.

As he settled on one of the couches he watched as the other men (he couldn't recall if he'd even heard their names) prepared for the ceremony. After a few minutes they took out some kind of special headgear. One of them walked over to him and handed him one as well (he wasn't to know that his wasn't real – unlike the rest of their's).

The scientists had agreed that they all needed to wear masks, not wanting to be affected by the alien gas. If they incorporated in into their 'ceremony' they figured they could get by with it. They also knew that it would look too suspicious for there not to be one for Amdahl so they had created a false mask that would allow the gas to get to the man.

"Please, put this on", asked Janet in a deep voice. "It is part of our ceremony. This is to honor our gods. We believe the head must be covered out of respect."

Shrugging, Amdahl took the strange headpiece and placed it over his head. He couldn't see too clearly but otherwise it didn't affect him.

Shortly after that the 'men' started the ceremony.

The words were spoken in Spanish first. The team figured that would sound more like it was part of a religious ceremony. They would then begin to add English to the words, slowly getting the message across. They just hoped the alien drug would start to work.

As Bigelow spoke the words Janet stood at the containers. She carefully removed one of the lids and soon smoke started to come out. Glancing over at Amdahl she saw his eyes begin to glaze over. At that point, Bigelow changed into English.

"All people, men, women and children, are created equal. All shall be treated with kindness, respect and compassion. No one will lift a hand against another, man, woman or child, in anger or hatred. Women are not evil – they are good. They are to be loved and respected just as are men. All will live together in peace and harmony and this will bring happiness, health and long-life to all." She kept repeating the words, many times, as Amdahl lay in a stupor on the couch.

Each member of the team hoped, and prayed, that this would work. They were trying to undo generations of hatred and prejudice - something that was a task that normally took generations. What they didn't know was how many of the local attitudes were chemically induced and how many had simply become part of the culture.

In truth, Janet had a real problem with this whole thing. As much as it had been the only thing she could think of to do, she didn't like that she was proposing to brainwash an entire culture. She just wished they could have convinced the people some other way.

"Do you think that's enough Doctor?" Bigelow leaned over and whispered. Her voice was starting to grow horse.

"I think so. If it hasn't worked by now I don't think it ever will." At that the team sat down and waited for Amdahl to come back to them. According to what Daniel and Teal'c had said, it had taken the whole night before they awoke.

"Let's take shifts people. I'll take the first with Armstrong. The rest of you get some rest. You can go out to Major Griff and explain what's happening. Once you're out of here you can take your masks off." She figured the gas had pretty much dissipated even inside but wanted to be sure before they took their masks off in the temple.

The sun had already risen quite high in the sky by the time Amdahl began to wake. He was quite disoriented for a while and they couldn't tell if he had been affected by the ceremony. They couldn't very well come out and ask him what he thought of women now so they just waited.

Once he was able to stand he made his way out of the temple, accompanied by Janet (or the man he thought she was). The others were all sitting outside drinking cups of coffee.

Griff stood up as the native man appeared. "How are you?" he asked.

"I am well. I feel much as I do after our own ceremony." He looked at the group seated around what had been a fire. "I thank you for honoring me with your ceremony."

"You are welcome", answered Janet. "We hope you will tell the others that it was okay. We would be honored to share it with them."

"Yes, I will tell them." He turned and looked at Griff, a puzzled expression on his face.

"I feel very well. Better, in fact, than after our own ceremony. After ours I often feel anger and hatred towards the evil that – " Here he stopped and looked up in amazement.

"Evil? The women?" He looked around. The earth team looked worriedly at each other. It hadn't seemed to work.

"No, that is not true!" he cried. "The women are not evil! How did I think that? They are good, they are to be loved and cared for." The SG team looked at each other and grinned – they'd done it.

"I must tell the others – they must know the truth." He started to hurry to the village but Griff reached out and grabbed him.

"Whoa there Amdahl, I don't think they're going to believe you. I think we'll have to have them go through the ceremony to find out the truth."

Amdahl looked at them, realization beginning to dawn in his eyes. "This was your ceremony? To reveal the truth about the women?" he asked.

"Well kind of", Janet walked up and answered. "We found out that your 'ceremony' was actually a way of convincing you that women were evil as a way of destroying your people. Whoever built the temple wanted you to kill your women and therefore kill your people off. You were too strong for that, however, but you did believe that women were evil."

He looked carefully at the one speaking to him. "You are a woman are you not?" he asked. Looking around he could now tell that most of the people with him were women. He couldn't believe that he hadn't figured that out before.

"Yes. Dr. Janet Frasier", she introduced each of the team.

"Why did you concern yourself with our village?" asked Amdahl. "As much as I appreciate what you have done I do not understand _**why**_ you have done this."

Janet and Griff looked at each other, wondering how to answer this tactfully.

"Well, you see, we hate to see any people being oppressed. On our w – ur, in our villages we believe in freedom and equality for all. We were disturbed by what we saw and wanted to help. As well, two of our people; Daniel Jackson and Teal'c, were also infected by your ceremony. We knew that if we could help you we could also help them. We could then all try and retrieve the women and children who were taken, as well as our friends."

He looked at them knowingly, realizing that they probably helped more because of their friends than anything. However, he wasn't about to worry over their motives. Now he had to figure a way to help the rest of his people.

He hadn't yet allowed himself to think of his wife and children. For the first time in his life he felt what it was to be a father – and to began to miss his children. He wanted nothing more than to get to know them and to love them.

As far as Martia was concerned, he couldn't say that he loved her. He'd never had that chance. What he did realize was that she was a good person and she was joined to him. He hoped that he would also have the opportunity to get to know her and maybe to grow to love her – if she could forgive him.

He recognized that this was likely to be the biggest challenge. How could women who had been oppressed and abused forgive those who had done this to them? Would they ever be able to live together in peace and harmony?

He hoped so.

He looked up at the visitors who had changed his life. "Let us see how we can heal the rest of the men."

**Mithrad's House**

After the Colonel had been taken Sam collapsed on the bed. She felt like dissolving in tears but knew that would accomplish nothing.

The last few days had been some of the worst she had ever remembered. She felt torn into pieces by what had happened. She had reached out and grasped at what she really wanted without thought to the consequences – or to what it would mean to Jack. She knew she had hurt him terribly, which was the last thing she had wanted. She just wished she could figure out what to do.

She lay on the bed for hours, trying not to think of what was happening to the Colonel. It seemed like every time they took him it meant something bad.

It was almost twelve hours before she heard footsteps approaching. The door opened and Jack came hurtling in, obviously thrown by the guards who stood outside, laughing. They pulled the door shut and she could hear them talking as they walked away.

She looked at where Jack – no, the Colonel – was picking himself up off the floor. She rushed over to help but he simply waved her away without saying anything. He got to his feet and that's when she noticed he was wrapped in a blanket. From the quick peak she'd had it was evident he'd lost his leather pants.

"Are you all right Sir?" she asked worriedly. He didn't look well at all.

"Fine", he muttered shortly. He made his way over to the bed and laid down, his back turned to her. He didn't say anything else.

She walked over to the bed but was careful to not get too close.

"Colonel. Please, what happened to you?"

He didn't answer for a moment but finally said, in a soft voice.

"Nothing Major. Just leave it."

"But you're hurt."

"No I'm not. They didn't hurt me – just took a tissue sample, that's all."

"A tissue sample? Why?"

"Just wanted to make sure I'd make good strong babies for their hosts." He answered in a flat voice. He hadn't moved since he'd lain down.

"Really? Why now? Do you think they know – " she stopped, unable to continue.

"Can I just sleep Carter? I don't know why, okay. I don't know why any of this is happening. I'm tired and I just want to rest. Can you let me do that?"

"Yes Sir", she said, biting her lip. God, he was still so angry with her. She sat for a while at the table until it began to get dark. She finally had to go to sleep, exhausted herself from all the worry and anguish. She readied herself for bed and then climbed up beside Jack although staying as far from him as she could get without falling off.

She lay there for a long time, unable to sleep. She could tell, from his breathing, that he wasn't asleep either. He was too still, almost frozen, beside her. She wanted, more than anything, to be able to move over and put her arms around him. This time, however, she knew that that action wouldn't be received kindly.

She eventually began to drift off to sleep, unable to stay awake any longer. She slept deeply for a few hours until she woke up suddenly, startled by something. As soon as she was conscious she realized she was pressed up against Jack. She closed her eyes in frustration, angry that she seemed to be constantly pulled towards him, literally and figuratively.

She went to carefully push herself away when she noticed something. She could smell some kind of scent on Jack. Curious, she lent forward until her nose was close to his back. She sniffed and felt as if a knife had been thrust into her. She clearly smelled perfume – a woman's perfume – on him. She then noticed, by the light of the moon shining from the small window high in the wall, that he had faint scratch marks on his back.

Jack had been with a woman – that was clear. Turning sharply she rolled over to her side of the bed, not caring whether she disturbed him or not.

As angry as he had been with her she still would never have expected him to go almost straight from her arms to those of another woman. She felt angry – and hurt – and yes, betrayed. She knew logically that that wasn't fair. They were not a couple, not together. In fact, as the Colonel had so clearly pointed out, she had someone else. And yet, she was devastated. It confirmed that she meant nothing to him – nothing beyond a few quick rolls in the hay.

Furious, and afraid she'd start to cry or pummel him, she rolled off the bed and went into the bathroom. It was her turn to sit on the floor and feel depressed and as if her world had fallen apart.

Jack knew that something was wrong, that Carter was upset over something. He didn't know what it was exactly, but he couldn't get the energy to find out. Ever since his little 'tryst' with D'jindra's 'hooker' he'd felt terrible. He was cold, freezing in fact, and nothing he could do seemed to warm him up. He also felt weak and disoriented, as if he wasn't all here.

He drifted in and out of sleep for a while, vaguely aware that Sam hadn't returned. Eventually he decided that he'd better check on her. He worried that maybe there was something wrong. He hadn't even checked to see if she was okay when he'd returned, to caught up in what had happened to him. Maybe D'jindra had done something to her. Damn, and he hadn't even bothered to ask if she were okay.

He struggled to sit up, shivering uncontrollably. He rolled off the bed, hanging on for a minute until he regained his balance. He shuffled over to the bathroom, feeling like he'd aged a hundred years. Geesh, he began to feel like he had after his little 'cake-eating' episode years ago.

"Sam", he knocked on the door. "You okay in there?" She didn't reply which really worried him.

"Carter! Come on, answer me. Are you all right?" When he still heard nothing he reached down and grabbed the handle. Slowly opening the door he carefully peaked around the corner. At first he couldn't see her in the dark but finally found her in his favorite spot on the floor, wedged between the sink and primitive 'toilet'.

He limped over and lowered himself stiffly to the ground, sitting beside her. Taking a deep breath he realized he felt slightly better and began to talk.

"Carter, I'm sorry. I wasn't feeling so well there. How are you? Are you okay?"

"Fine", she answered, channeling Jack

"Are you sure? You've been in here for a long time."

She looked up at that, an angry expression on her face. "I don't know why that should bother you Sir. You spend your fair share of time in here."

Ouch – she really was angry with him.

"I know Sam, and I'm sorry. I understand that we both need to spend some time alone and this is the only place for it – but it's late and cold. Why don't you come to bed? I won't hurt you."

She laughed – not a pleasant sound. "Asking me to come to bed Jack? I'm surprised. I thought you'd have had enough already."

"What?" he asked, confused. Looking up at her he suddenly breathed sharply – she knew. How, he didn't know, but she knew what had happened. Maybe one of the priests or the guards told her? Damn.

"Sam, come on. You know I didn't mean that. I'm just worried about you. I'll stay up if you'd feel better. I just want you to rest."

"I'm okay right here."

"But it's freezing!"

She looked up at him with a puzzled look on her face. "No it's not Sir. If anything it's hot in here." She then looked more closely at the Colonel and realized he was, in fact, shivering uncontrollably. He also looked paper white and had dark circles under his eyes.

"Sir, you're sick."

"Who me? No I'm not Major, I'm just cold."

She stood up, worried now. Something was wrong. Whatever had happened between the Colonel and some woman didn't matter at this point. He was sick, that's all she could think about.

"Come on Sir. You need to go to bed." She reached down with her hand. "Come on, I'll help you up."

Relieved, but feeling worse than ever, he took her hand. It was a good thing because he didn't know if he could have made it without her. In fact, she needed to help him back to bed. He was so weak he felt like he was going to pass out.

It did help when she put her arms around him. He felt a little better. As soon as he was lying down and she'd gone to get some water he began to feel terrible again. He was so cold – right through to the bone. It was worse even than the time he'd spent in Antarctica.

By the time Sam came back Jack was shaking so badly that she was afraid he'd hurt himself. She piled all their blankets on top of him but that didn't seem to help.

"Carter!" he gasped between chattering teeth.

"Sir, you're sick. Did they do something to you?"

"Just … tried … to sed…uce me."

God, she didn't want to hear this but maybe it was behind what was wrong.

"Seduce you Sir? I don't understand."

"Knocked ..me out. When I … woke up … was woman in bed …with me."

"There was a woman in bed with you and she seduced you?"

"No … tried …. didn' work." He could barely get the words out he was shaking so badly.

"The seduction didn't work?" Relief washed over her – she should have known he wouldn't have had sex with some alien woman. She felt guilty for even thinking such a thing.

Jack didn't have the energy, or even the ability, to correct her. It was him that hadn't worked, not the seduction. Even as sick as he was he realized that in this case discretion was definitely the better part of valor.

"But why?" she glanced down "I mean why would they try and have some woman seduce you? Do you think they wanted to uh have you breed more children?" She had wondered why they hadn't tried to force Jack to impregnate other women. She had figured it was because they had enough men to go around. Now, she wasn't so sure. As she looked again at the Colonel she could have kicked herself. Now was not the time to be worrying about this. Instead she needed to help him.

When it became clear that the blankets weren't helping she knew there was only one thing to do.

"I'm sorry Sir, but I think we're going to have to share body heat. I can't seem to warm you up." He didn't answer, feeling sicker than ever.

Sam reached over and felt his forehead. She was surprised that he didn't seem to have a fever. That seemed to indicate it wasn't an infection or a virus – but what would be causing this she couldn't figure out.

With a deep sigh she lifted the blankets and scooted up as close to the Colonel as she could get. She refused to think how much she had missed this. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. This time he didn't pull away, seeming to relish the closeness and the warmth.

It took close to 20 minutes but eventually the shivers seemed to grow less, although he was still cold. He started to feel better but knew that something was still wrong. At least now he could speak.

"Thanks Major. I'm feeling a bit better now."

"Good Sir. Do you have any idea what caused this?"

"No – as I told you – they took a small tissue sample and then dragged me back to that temple. I was then knocked out by something – a stun weapon of some sort I think. The next thing I knew I woke up in bed with some 'Mata Hari' plastered all over me. When she realized nothin' was gonna happen she left and they brought me back here. That's all." As he spoke Sam had pulled away, realizing that it was only self-indulgence that kept her there any longer.

"Do you think they did something while you were unconscious?"

"Maybe, although I didn't notice anything when I woke up." He started to shiver again. Maybe he had some sort of alien Malaria. The recurring chills seemed to indicate something like that.

As the shivering grew worse again he tried to tell Sam his theory. She agreed that might be what it was although there was no way to tell. She continued to worry that this was something really bad.

"Saaaamm" he called through clenched jaws. "I'm sooo …. cold."

Damn – she had to do something – but what? Moving back under the covers she pulled him close, trying to warm him. As he began to relax into her she allowed herself to enjoy the moment, knowing it wouldn't last.

As he finally drifted off to sleep she gently kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you Jack O'Neill and we're gonna get out of this."


	17. Making Friends

_**Sorry it's taking me so long to update – just too much RL going on! I'll try to update more regularly but can't promise every night for a while (more company coming!). As usual, thank you for the incredibly kind reviews and those adding me to their alert list. I'm so humbled!**_

Pa'tran, the oldest of the Jaffa, was correct. It took them all of seven days before they arrived on Pol, the planet where Ba'al's main forces were camped. By the time they'd arrived Teal'c had managed to ingratiate himself with quite a few of the Jaffa. He was well liked and well respected and the other Jaffa soon looked to him as their natural leader.

After a couple of days it became obvious to Daniel that Teal'c was actually enjoying himself. Teal'c was so much a part of their team and the SGC that he forgot how difficult it must still be for the Jaffa to be so far away from his home and all that he had known most of his life.

Daniel watched Teal'c laugh and joke with the other Jaffa. He also watched as Teal'c taught the younger ones, sharing much of his wisdom (and the things he'd learned from 'Dis'nee' – Daniel laughed to himself). He shook his head in wonder, seeing all of the Jaffa jockeying for position, the attempts to prove themselves and be 'top cock on the rock'. Machismo was alive and well in Jaffa culture.

It became quite common for Daniel to hear a deep belly laugh from his friend as the older man enjoyed some Jaffa humor. The archaeologist knew, from all his experience, that humor was the hardest thing of all to translate from one culture to another – and it certainly was true in this case. As he'd listened, for about the tenth time, to the one about the Goa'uld, the Asgaard and the Nox on a Teltak, he was about ready to jump out of the window himself!

As much fun as Teal'c seemed to be having, Daniel was not. The ship was crowded and became rather smelly in short order. Not only that, but there was little to do and no place to go. Other than tidy their small area (he had to do it all – it would have looked funny for Teal'c to have done anything) he had nothing with which to occupy his time. He'd tried to speak with one or two of the other 'slaves' but they had scurried away, clearly frightened of interacting with anyone.

So, all he had left to do was to observe the various Jaffa and slaves. He soon came to feel that Pa'tran, the 'old Jaffa', as Daniel thought of him, was by far the most dangerous. He seemed to be suspicious of Teal'c and seemed quite canny. He knew his friend was aware and was being very careful.

Of all of them, Jac'tral, the Jaffa formerly in service to Ra, was his favorite. He not only had a sense of the absurd, he seemed to really like Teal'c and he treated Daniel well (for a slave). In some ways he reminded the younger man of Jack. He had a biting sarcasm, which he could use to great affect, but he was in no way cruel and never used it on those less fortunate than him.

Daniel spared a brief thought for how Jac'tral would react if he knew he was traveling with one of the people who had killed his 'God'. Daniel laughed softly to himself. That seemed so long ago now and yet had been the beginning of a new life for him.

Teal'c spent quite a bit of time with Jac'tral; comparing notes of their younger days training to be Jaffa. Things got a bit sticky when Jac'tral asked which God Teal'c – or 'Tro'han' had served formerly. Fortunately, he and Daniel had discussed this and had decided to pick Nirti. She seemed to have disappeared and since there were none of her Jaffa here it seemed relatively safe. When Pa'tran overheard he asked what had happened to Nirti.

"I had not heard that she had been destroyed by the Tauri as had the other System Lords, Tro'han", he'd said. "Why then have you left her service? Do you not think to be faithful to her?"

Teal'c looked at him seriously but refused to look uncomfortable. He knew the worst thing he could do would be to back down or appear nervous.

"My Lady gave me leave to go to Shayan, thinking this would add to her prestige. When I returned I was unable to find her or her forces. I spent much time looking and was told that the Tauri had, in fact, killed her. That is why I am going to the service of Ba'al. Do you have a problem with that, Pa'tran?" This last was said in a challenging voice. Teal'c was tired of being bated by the older Jaffa. He knew he had to put a stop to it before it began to diminish his position with the others.

Pa'tran just looked at him for a moment, knowing that this was a challenge. He either backed down and left Teal'c the victor, or he stood up to the challenge.

There was something about Tro'han that he didn't trust. He didn't know why – he seemed to be an honorable Jaffa, but there was just something 'off' about him. Maybe it was his story of this 'Shayan'. In all his years he had never heard of this place. Also, he felt that the Jaffa showed too much consideration for his slave. It showed a weakness that bothered him.

Still, he hadn't done anything wrong and was certainly liked by the others. He knew his way around Jaffa – he had the demeanor of one who had had a position of real power. Maybe he was telling the truth. Maybe he was one of the favorites of the Goddess Nirti. Maybe she had allowed him to leave. Too bad for him that she seemed to have disappeared.

When he realized that Tro'han was still waiting he looked up at the stately man and bowed his head.

"No Tro'han. I do not have a problem with that. I honor you for your decision and know that My Lord Ba'al will be fortunate to have you amongst his ranks."

You could practically hear the 'sigh' of relief that went around the ship. As much as Jaffa enjoyed a good fight, they didn't want anything to happen here. Quarters were too tight and it could lead to all sorts of problems. Besides that, it would mean having to take sides and none of them wanted to have to choose between the two most senior Jaffa in their group.

Daniel too breathed more freely. He had been worried there for a minute. Not only was he worried for his friend, he worried also for himself. If anything happened to Teal'c he would be well and truly screwed. He'd end up a real slave in the service of some Jaffa or Goa'uld. Suddenly, their flight from the SGC didn't seem so smart. No one knew where they were except for Feemy and he wouldn't be any help.

By the time they arrived on Pol Daniel felt like he was about to go stir-crazy. He desperately needed fresh air and space to walk. He knew it was probably going to be even more difficult for him but hoped that they'd quickly find something out and then go and get Jack …. yes, and Sam.

As they prepared to land Teal'c came up to him and sat down.

"We have been invited to share the tent of Jac'tral. This is fortunate, otherwise we would have been forced to stay in the barracks."

Both of them had worried about this. They didn't have the money to purchase a tent and other supplies. They would have to simply throw themselves on the mercy of Ba'al's officers. The fact that they now had a place to stay made things somewhat easier, although they'd have to be very careful, living in such close quarters with Jac'tral.

"You must gather our things, D'nor", Teal'c looked over at his friend. "We must be prepared to leave immediately."

"Okay, sure thing. I hope you realize", he added, in a soft whisper, "that I'm going to get you back for this? You're gonna have to clean my apartment and wash my car for me when we get home."

Teal'c simply bowed his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Both of them spared a quick moment to think about going home. They both hoped it would be soon.

**Amdahl's Planet**

"We'd have to get the chemicals and then figure out what concentrations of each to use. First we'll have to break into the underground room." Griff was speaking quietly with Janet as they sat around the fire.

It had been hard to contain Amdahl. He'd wanted to rush back and tell the rest of his village what he'd discovered, but they'd finally convinced him it wouldn't be wise. He'd agreed to keep quiet if they would help him 'deprogram' the rest of his village.

So, that's what they were trying to figure out. Now that they knew that their theory worked they had to figure a way to replicate it for the whole village. The problem with that was that they really had no idea how the chemical worked, or what quantities to use. The set-up in the temple took care of all that and it had clearly been done a long time ago. They had no way of knowing how to use the drugs.

"Maybe it says something in that room you discovered." Janet answered. "Why don't we ask Hammond to send over another team and you can try and get in." Griff had tried on his own but hadn't been successful. The door was made of some incredibly strong metal and there didn't appear to be any kind of handle or control mechanism.

"We may have to blow it." Griff answered.

"That may just destroy the room and the chemicals. If that happens we may never be able to help Teal'c and Dr. Jackson. No, there has to be a better way."

"Have you spoken with Amdahl? Maybe he knows."

"No, he'd never heard of an underground room. Seems that that area was 'off-limits' to the village. Again, the aliens were smart. They didn't want anyone discovering their little 'game."

"Doc"

"Yes Major?"

"What about their ceremony?"

"What do you mean? They'll just repeat the same things as always. If anything it's going to make it harder for us."

"No, but listen. You said that it was Amdahl that led it right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, why doesn't he do the ceremony as usual except this time, change the words. We could write out what he should say."

"But surely the villagers would notice and not allow him to continue?" Janet looked intrigued but was doubtful that this could work.

"Well, didn't you say that he spoke using some kind of 'foreign' words? We could make something up – or have one of the linguists at the SGC come up with something that sounded like the language he was using. Look, you said that after a couple of minutes he looked like he was drugged. He didn't even notice the words that we used in our 'ceremony'. Why couldn't we do the same?"

"Okay, it's possible. But surely they'd notice the change in words – even if they couldn't understand them. I mean, some of them have been doing this for decades. They must know the words by heart by now."

Griff sat there for a few minutes, frustrated. He just knew this could work if they could only get the men to sit long enough for the drugs to take affect.

"Wait a second!" He just had a brilliant thought. "They haven't had a ceremony since the women were taken, have they?"

"No, it happened during their last ceremony. According to Amdahl they take place once every new moon."

"Right, and that should be happening in just a couple of days, right?"

"Yes, I guess so. But we still have the same problem."

"I know, but look. What if Amdahl were to tell them that this ceremony was going to be different _because_ the women were taken. According to him, and some of the other men, this was supposed to be a great blessing, right?"

"Yeah – a blessing to have your women and children stolen and made slaves!" Janet couldn't help but keep the anger from her voice, even though she knew it really wasn't the men's faults.

"Well, they're all pretty miserable with the women gone – and confused over that fact. Their heads are telling them they should be rejoicing but their hearts – and probably their bodies" Janet snorted, "are telling them this is bad. We can have Amdahl tell them that the reason they're feeling so conflicted is that they haven't 'given thanks' for their deliverance. The 'god or gods' are unhappy with them. Once they've completed the required – and new – ceremony, things will be better."

Janet sat quietly, contemplating Griff's suggestion. When she couldn't come up with any objections she turned and grinned at him.

"I knew I liked you Major. I think this just might work!"

The next morning they approached Amdahl and told him their plan. He thought about it for a moment and then nodded.

"I believe my people would find this acceptable. In fact, I think they will be anxious to go ahead with this. Everyone is very miserable and no one knows what to do. Tell me what I should say."

"I'm going to return to our 'village' and explain what we're planning. I will bring back an expert in languages and he can prepare something for you to say. It shouldn't take long. When is the next ceremony to take place?" Janet hoped they had at least a day or two to prepare things.

"It will take place the day after tomorrow. I will begin to prepare the elders for what to expect. Hopefully there will be no objections." He stood for a moment, looking uncertain. Finally he asked, "When this is finished, will you find our women and children? We need them back." He sounded despondent. He could see clearly the evil that had been done to his people and wanted to try and save, not only his own household, but his whole world.

Janet put her hand out and gently touched him on the arm. "We'll try everything we can. Even now we have people out looking. I'm sure we'll bring them back." She tried to sound confident, but, as every day went by she was becoming more concerned. What if they never saw Sam or Jack again?

It was just a few hours later that she returned with Dr. Pitkin, a linguist who worked with Daniel. He didn't have nearly the brilliance as Jackson, but he was certainly competent. When she had explained what she needed he simply nodded and said he'd be happy to accompany them back.

In reality, he was quite excited, although he didn't show it. Unlike Dr. Jackson, his work took place in the mountain – he never got the chance to go off world. He'd wanted to, for a long time, but had never had the reason or – in fact – the courage to ask. This was his opportunity to not only go through the gate, but possibly to help an entire culture.

As soon as he got to the planet he sat down with Amdahl who ran through the 'alien' words of their ceremony. Pitkin wrote it all down, phonetically, until he had the entire speech. As he examined the words he became quite excited. He recognized their roots! He was an expert in Celtic dialects (much more so than Daniel, in fact) and these clearly came from some kind of Celtic language. Smiling happily he began to compose a new speech, using this dialect. This one would be much different in content however. Taking the text that Dr. Frasier had given him he began to write.

By that evening he had finished. He returned to where Janet and the rest of the team were sitting. Amdahl was also present, anxiously awaiting the speech.

"All finished Doctor?" Janet asked.

"Yes Ma'am. All done." Handing the paper over to her he sat down, tired with the day's work, but satisfied.

"What does it say?" she asked, looking at the foreign words.

"Just what you told me to write, Doctor. The language used here had Celtic origins so I used that in the composition. If you'd like I can read it and Mr. Amdahl can tell me if it sounds okay."

When Janet nodded he took the paper back and began to read. The words had a melodious, soft sound. It was as if the message itself – one of compassion, respect and love – came through in the very sound of the words. When he finished he looked up. His companions all looked mesmerized.

"That was beautiful Doctor. Thank you." Janet replied softly.

"Yes – that is good." Amdahl was smiling. "It sounds like the language of our ceremony – but better. I thank you too."

"Glad to be of service!" Jim Pitkin smiled. He could definitely get used to this. He glanced over at Major Griff who was looking at him admiringly.

"I never thought there was much need of a linguist on an SG team – could never quite figure out why Jack had Dr. Jackson on SG1. I can see I was wrong. We'll have to chat when we get back Doctor."

Pitkin nodded and smiled. Things were definitely looking up.

The day of the ceremony finally arrived. Amdahl had practiced the foreign words and then the 'real' words that he would use once the men were under the influence of the drug. They all hoped that this would work.

As the men made their way, the next morning, to the ceremony it was very obvious, to those from earth, that this was not a happy group of people. They all looked half sick – white faces and bruised looking eyes. This was a village that had been wounded terribly – but they couldn't face the fact that what had happened was bad. The men were suffering terribly from confusion and guilt.

It was a quiet group that made their way into the temple. Unlike the previous time, when they'd been happy and joking, this time they simply filed in and sat in their usual places. They looked up as Amdahl walked to the front and began to speak:

"Friends and neighbors, we have experienced something in our life which we never expected to see. We have been 'blessed' by the gods with the removal of that which is evil, and yet we suffer and are unhappy. We are here today to give thanks – and to remove all that is bad from our hearts. We are here to be cleansed – to turn from darkness to the light – from hatred to love. I ask that all of you join with me today in this special ceremony. I promise that, if you take part freely, you will leave here as new men – who will look to the future with hope and promise."

There was soft murmuring in the crowd. This was very different than what they were used to. This message was positive – it was not simply a railing against evil. For many it was refreshing, for some it was frightening. Their world had been a constant battle against 'evil'. To think of looking forward with hope and promise was beyond their experience.

No matter the various feelings in the room, all stayed. No one liked the feeling of uncertainty that they had experienced since the women were taken. They wanted to be freed from that and return to a life of certainly and clear answers.

Settling down, they waited for Amdahl to begin.

The ceremony started as it always had. This time, however, the words were different. They sounded soft and beautiful and soon the men were lulled into a state of bliss. They lost their sense of place or time and simply let the words fall over them.

Once it was clear that the men were well and truly 'drugged' Amdahl slowly began changing the words from the foreign language to one they could all understand. Using the simple words that had been used on him, he repeated it over and over. Even after his voice grew hoarse and his legs and back tired, he kept repeating them. He wanted to make sure that all the men in his village would experience the beautiful awakening he had had.

Finally, as the sun began to set, Amdahl stopped. Some of the men began to stir. After about twenty minutes all of the men had woken up, although some still looked hung over.

The men began to get to their feet and headed towards the door. So far, no one had said anything. Amdahl was worried that nothing had changed. Maybe it was just him who was affected. As the last man finally left the temple he sighed and followed. He'd have to tell the visitors that it hadn't worked.

As he walked out into the evening air he noticed that the men were not walking back to the village. Usually, after their ceremonies, they hurried back to check on the 'evil ones'. Most were angry and belligerent and some would head home just to beat their wives or daughters.

It took him a moment to realize that the mood was very different. He walked up to the nearest man and looked at him. The man – Formla – looked back at him with an amazed expression on his face.

"Amdahl – I feel – I feel good!" he said, surprised. "Your ceremony worked. I don't remember feeling this happy ever."

Soon the other men were saying the same thing. Smiles and laughter began to break out – men were slapping each other on the back and cracking jokes. It went on for two or three minutes when suddenly Bramayne, one of the younger men, stopped and looked up, an intense expression on his face.

"The women are gone." He said, softly. At this the other men all stopped. Soon, their smiles faded. From looking happy and joyous they now began to appear distressed.

"Yes, the women – they are gone. Oh no!" cried Zogra. "That is bad. What can we do? The women – we need them. Why did we think they were evil? They are good – they are loved. We need them", he repeated.

Soon, the words began to be repeated among all the men. They couldn't understand what had happened. It was as if a blindfold had been removed. They could see what they had done, the harm they had caused. They were even more confused than they had been and didn't know where to turn.

"Friends!" Amdahl called. He realized he had to take control or chaos would soon reign.

"Friends", he called again. Finally he got the attention of his neighbors.

"We have all been tricked! For many years our people have been lied to. We have been told that our women – our mothers, and wives and daughters – are evil and must be punished. This was false. We were made to believe this in an attempt to destroy our world. A foreign enemy came and tricked us so as to make us kill our women and therefore our future. We were too strong for this, but we ended up abusing and harming those we should have loved and cherished. We have much to atone for, as a people. But first, we must get our women and children back. When they are home we will love them and hope that they will forgive us. Never again will we harm those we should love and care for."

There was silence as the men of the village attempted to take all of this in. Suddenly their whole world, their whole system of beliefs had been wiped out. It was a dramatic shift and one that would take a while to sink in. They all knew, however, that they wanted their women and children back.

"Where have they been taken?" asked Zogra. "If they were not taken by the Gods then what happened to them?"

Amdahl turned to Janet and Griff who had been standing over to one side, watching. "I will have our friends explain. They were the ones who helped us understand."

As Janet stepped forward there was a gasp on the part of the men. She had taken off her disguise and now appeared before them as a woman. They looked at her in awe. This was the first time, in all their lives, that they had been able to look at a woman and not feel anger and disgust.

"Friends, I am honored to be here with all of you at this time. You have been given a great gift of true knowledge, which I know you will use wisely." She watched as a number of the villagers nodded. Yes, she thought, if they could get the women back life in this village was going to change dramatically.

"You want to know what has happened to your women and children?" again they nodded. "I am sad to say they have been taken by an evil enemy who enslaves people. Along with your women two of my friends were also taken – they came here a few weeks ago. My people are looking for those taken and I can assure you we will do all that we can to bring your women and children back to you. I am sorry for your loss but do not give up hope." She stopped, as there was little else she could say.

"Is there anything we can do?" asked one of the younger men. His wife and three daughters had been taken. Suddenly he was thinking of their sweet faces. He wanted nothing more than to hold them and make them happy.

"You can go back and treat the women who remain with kindness and compassion. Help them, love them. It will take them time to trust you but it is now your duty and privilege." She was pleased at the eagerness on the faces of those listening to her. They wanted to help and care for the women.

"You can also work to let others know, in other villages. It will be difficult, they will resist, but eventually all of you can have true understanding."

"How? How can we convince the others?" Fortreb, an older man, asked.

Amdahl answered. "We will invite them to share our ceremony." He answered. "You know it is considered an honor to be invited by another village. That is something we can do now. We will tell them it is celebration for our women leaving. They will come – just as all of you came today."

Fortreb laughed. "You tricked us Amdahl."

"Yes, I did", he answered seriously. He hoped this wasn't going to be a problem.

"Good for you. We made the right decision in making you chief elder. We all have you to thank." Suddenly a number of cheers rang out. As upset as they were over their missing women, the village suddenly had hope. They would not give up – they would find their women and make new lives for themselves.

With confidence they made their way back to the village. The women there did not know what was coming!

As Janet and her team stood and watched they could only rejoice over the change – and yet they were each filled with sadness. They wished they had the confidence that these people had – that one day they would see those they cared about again.

**Mithrad's House**

Jack was able to get some sleep, as long as Sam held him tight. He still felt frozen and sick, but she provided some small measure of warmth. He knew things were bad – very bad. He expected, although he wouldn't say this to Sam, that he was dying.

D'jindra had spoken of the drugs he'd been given and he figured they were responsible for his condition.

What he didn't know is whether or not Sam had been, or would be, affected. He debated telling her but didn't know what she could do about it. She could refuse to eat or drink but they could simply force her. The other thing was that they would never know if their food was drugged or not. There certainly had been no smell or taste to give the drugs away.

As he lay there, trying not to shiver and wake her up, he pondered what to do. They had enough information that they could just about escape. The medallion was almost off. They figured a couple more days and Sam would have filed it all the way through. The problem was, he didn't think he could make it. Not only was he cold, he was so weak it was all he could do to lift his hand.

What he really wanted was for Sam to try and make it out without him but he knew that was going to be just about impossible. Look what she'd already done to help him?

He groaned, silently, when he thought about that. In some ways he wished he hadn't said anything; that he'd just enjoyed the time with her. When he wasn't worried about what was going on he'd loved being able to be close to her. Holding her in his arms had been the best thing he could remember for a long, long time.

Looking down at the sleeping woman in his arms again, he couldn't help but smile. She was so amazing; beautiful, smart, feisty – all the things he liked in a woman. He only wished he'd met her in different circumstances. He thought of the alternate reality where that Sam hadn't been in the Air Force. If she'd been just a scientist here they could have gotten together a long time ago.

Even as he had that thought he discarded it. No, his Sam was perfect. Their time together on SG1 had been what made him love her. It was partly because she was a soldier that he loved her. She understood him like no one he could ever remember (except maybe Daniel but that was a totally different thing!). Even Sara had trouble relating to the 'soldier' side of him, often resenting the Air Force and what it had taken from her.

No, he wouldn't change a thing, except maybe for the damn regs, although in actual fact, he agreed with them. He'd seen how personal relations could really screw up a team. The fact was that his team, and what they dealt with, was different. The personal relationships they had had made them stronger, not weaker.

With a deep feeling of sorrow – and a chill that went to his very soul – he tried to sleep.

By the time morning came he was feeling sicker. He didn't think he could even get out of bed, but he was damned if he was going to ask Sam to bring him something to pee in. Instead, he asked for her help to make it to the bathroom.

"Of course Sir. Here, let me get over to your other side." As soon as she'd moved away from him he felt the shivers get worse. By the time she helped him up from the bed his teeth were literally chattering. If this went on too long he'd end up breaking them!

They made it to the little bathroom, although it was extremely difficult. A couple of times he'd thought he was going to pass out. It was actually the shivers that kept him conscious.

"This is bad Sir. I think we need to tell someone."

"I hhhhavvvve the ffffeeeellling thhheey knnowwww allreadddy."

"But you can't go on like this Colonel."

"Kkkkay, Cccccarrrterr." They'd reached the bathroom and she'd helped him inside. He waved her off, with a very shaky arm.

"Are you sure Sir? I think maybe you need my help."

"Ccccan pppeeeee onnn mmmy owwn Mmmajor."

"All right Sir, but I'll be just outside the door."

It turned out it was a good thing he wasn't wearing pants. He didn't think he would have been able to get them off – especially those tight leather ones. As it was, he decided he'd better sit. The way he was shaking he'd end up spraying the whole bathroom and he didn't think Sam would appreciate that very much.

By the time he was finished he knew he had to get back to bed. His vision was failing along with everything else. The shakes were so bad he really didn't think he could walk. Forcing himself up he croaked – he couldn't talk – and Carter immediately entered. He knew he must look pretty pathetic, standing half naked and shaking uncontrollably. He wasn't even able to pull the blanket around him. It simply hung off his shoulders, letting everything pretty much hang out.

Oh well, he thought – it's not like Carter doesn't know what I look like!

"Come on Sir, back to bed."

She half carried, half dragged him back. As soon as he arrived he simply collapsed. She had to lift his legs and turn him so he was lying properly. She then tucked the covers tightly around him.

"I'll be right back Sir. I just have to uh – " she pointed to the bathroom. He nodded (or actually shook) since he could no longer speak.

Sam hurried to the bathroom and closed the door. Thank heavens the Colonel was too sick to notice! Although as soon as she had that thought she felt guilty! She could feel the cold sweat breaking out on her face and the nausea rising in her throat. She stood in front of the toilet for a minute, taking deep breaths, trying to settle her stomach.

Unfortunately, it didn't work. With a feeling of dread she bent over and began to throw up. Great! She must be coming down with the same thing as the Colonel!

The Colonel was lying in a pathetic, shaking heap under all their blankets, when the door opened. He knew someone had walked in but couldn't tell – and really didn't care – who had entered.

"Jack?" a soft voice drifted through the covers. Martia.

"Hmmm", was all he was able to reply. She walked over and looked at him in concern.

"We were worried this might happen." She reached out and touched his face gently. She could tell he was freezing, his skin felt as if he'd been out in icy weather.

"Wwwwhhhaaatt?" he tried to ask.

"What is it?" she knew what he was trying to say. "It's the Kopra and Roshu."

He nodded slightly. He'd figured that's what it was. He wondered if it was fatal.

"My mistress explained it to me. They gave it to you so that you would Mai'thun with Samantha. They said they had never seen anyone who refused like you did. The priests were angry so gave you both substances, which they are never supposed to do. When taken together they cause a strong reaction."

Ya think! Unfortunately he couldn't speak the words. He tried to look at Martia. He needed to know more about this and whether or not it would affect Sam. As if she knew what he was thinking she continued.

"It does not affect women the same way. It makes the women more fertile – and more 'interested'."

Ha, he'd figured that one from what he'd been told. It had explained Sam's actions.

"Of course, if she does not love her partner it can make her angry and violent – and has the opposite affect on fertility. The priests were taking a real chance. If Sam didn't love you it would have destroyed all their plans."

Huh? What was this? What did that mean? Maybe that's why Sam was angry at him – although that had only been yesterday, before she'd been …'interested'! This was very confusing, especially in his state.

"But for the man it can be very bad. Jack, you must join with Sam – that is your only hope!" she cried. He looked up and tried to tell her to be quiet. He didn't want Sam to hear this. By the way, where was she? He tried to look around and finally realized that the bathroom door was shut. She probably needed a little bit of privacy after having to 'hug' him all night.

"Noooo!" he chattered. "Ccccannn't"

"But don't you understand? That is your only hope. The drugs interact and cause the man to become addicted to the woman he is with. If he does not have regular", she paused, trying to think of the right expression, "interaction, with the woman he will get sick and eventually die. That is what is happening to you. That is why the priests gave it to you. They hoped that you would have to join with Sam rather than die." By this time tears had gathered in her eyes. She had come to care for these two and didn't want them to suffer. Also, she knew that the only way she and her daughters would ever regain their freedom would be with their help.

"Jack, you must Mai'thun with Sam. Once you do you will regain your strength."

"Jjjjusst onnnncee …. ccccurred?"

"Do you mean will you be cured after that?" He nodded.

"No, I'm sorry. As far as I know there is no cure. It's permanent. They say that you are forever joined with Sam, that there is no escape. I'm sorry – I'm sure it is difficult. But at least you love each other."

He closed his eyes. He couldn't think of anything worse than this. If Sam found out she'd feel she had to stay with him to save his life. That would simply cause them to hate each other. There was no way he'd ever let that happen.

"Jack?" He looked at her, wondering what she was going to say.

"There's something else." She paused, not sure if it mattered or not. "You will never be able to be with another. That is why they had Pelonia try and seduce you – to be sure the Kopra and Roshu had worked. Sam in the only woman you can …" she made a waving motion with her hands, not wanting to continue.

Great – that explained his lack of ability. So, unless he was with Sam he was effectively impotent. The day was getting better and better!

"I did bring something that will help for a little while. My mistress gave it to me but I have to be careful not to let the guards or the priests know. I have enough for a week or so. It should help the symptoms.

Great, now she told him! He looked at her expectantly. She pulled a small bottle out the large pocket in her skirt.

"Take a drop under your tongue. It should make you well enough to get up. It won't last though. My mistress says it only works a short time and then will not be effective any more." She reached over and, seeing that he was still too shaky, she took the dropper from the bottle. He was able to open his mouth and she quickly placed a drop under his tongue.

It only took a minute or so and he started to feel better. Not great – but at least the horrible shaking seemed to be getting better. After a couple of more minutes he felt well enough to sit up.

"Thank you Martia", he was able to give the young woman a small smile.

"You are welcome Jack O'Neill. This will help until you and Sam - ", he smiled, not letting on that there was no way he would ever let that happen. No, this simply gave him some time to get Sam out of here and see what he could do to help the others. Once that was done - well, he guessed he'd be done too. Unless, of course, Janet could figure something out.

"Martia, you have to promise that you won't say anything to Sam about this." She looked at him worriedly. Why didn't he want Sam to know?

"But she should know. She can help you."

"No Martia – you cannot tell her. It's very important." Finally the young woman nodded. She had spent her whole life being trained to obey men. She could not go against that training now, even though she felt it was wrong. Knowing that the guards would be getting anxious she turned to leave.

"Remember, you must Mai'thun to save your life. Don't wait too long." With that she left the house.

Jack lay back down, feeling better, although still sick. This time he wasn't sure if the sickness was physical or simply a result of what he'd just learned. Essentially he'd been poisoned for the perverse desires of a Goa'uld and his servants. He was furious but knew there was little he could do but keep it from Sam.

Speaking of Sam, where was she? He looked over at the bathroom, worried that she hadn't returned. He got off the bed, still a little shaky but at least able to walk.

"Sam?" he knocked on the door. When there was no reply he knocked again.

"I'm okay Sir. I'll be out in a minute." He could hear some water being splashed and a few seconds later the door opened. Sam walked out, looking incredibly pale. In fact, she looked kind of green.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried. Maybe Martia had been wrong about the Koshu stuff.

"I'm fine Colonel. I think maybe I've caught a little of what you've got."

Damn it no, he thought. "Come on Carter, to bed with you."

As she climbed up on the bed, still feeling incredibly nauseated, it dawned on her that the Colonel seemed better. She sat up and looked at him as he stood beside the bed.

"Sir? Are you okay?"

"Feeling better Carter. I guess it was just a 24 hour flu bug or something."

"Yeah", she said skeptically. It hadn't looked like any flu she'd ever seen. However, if he was feeling better that was good. Well, maybe she had caught it – although she wasn't cold, just dizzy and sick to her stomach.

"Can I get you something Major?" He walked over to the table where Martia had left a basket of food. He brought over a couple of things and went to hand them to Sam. She took one look at the food and covered her mouth. She then bounded out of bed and made it to the bathroom just in time.

O'Neill stared after her in astonishment. "What the hell was happening?"


	18. Freedom Pending

_**Okay you naughty readers – you've all jumped to the conclusion that Sam is pregnant! Tsk, tsk – wait and see - but please, keep reviewing!**_

**The SGC**

General Hammond hurried from his office as he heard the gate engaging. He knew no teams were expected back for at least 24 hours so he needed to see who was arriving.

"Who is it son?" he asked the technician in the control room.

"I don't know Sir, we're – no wait, we're receiving an IDC." He turned to look at the General. "It's the Tokra, Sir."

"Open the Iris." The General hoped it was good news. As of yet they hadn't heard anything of any of the members of SG1. Janet and her team had returned the day before, and he'd been relieved to hear their experiment had worked. At least if nothing else came of this they'd have helped a whole civilization get back on track.

The shimmering blue event horizon appeared and shortly thereafter a lone figure came through.

"Jacob!" Hammond turned and headed towards the stairs into the Gate room.

"I hope you have some good news for us?" he asked the former Air Force General.

"Well, I have news. I don't know if it's good or not."

Hammond sighed. Well, at least it was something – better than not knowing anything he supposed. He turned toward the technician in the Control Room.

"Have Dr. Frasier and Major Griff meet us in the Briefing Room immediately." Turning back to Jacob he spoke,

"Might as well tell all of us at once rather than having to repeat the story."

As the two men walked to the Briefing Room Hammond told Jacob about what had transpired on the 'women hating' planet.

"That's good George. At least now we can help Daniel and Teal'c."

"When we find them."

"Well, I can help with that." George looked over at him quizzically but just then Griff and Frasier walked in.

"You wanted to see us Sir?" asked Janet.

"Yes Doctor, Major. Jacob says he has some news for us. I'm waiting to hear it myself." The three officers turned and looked expectantly at the former General Carter.

"Well", he said heavily. "We've found Dr. Jackson and Teal'c."

"That's wonderful", exclaimed Janet. Things were definitely looking up.

When he didn't say any more Hammond looked at him. "There's more though Jacob. Where are they?"

"Well, one of our operatives has been working undercover for months with one of the System Lords. He saw Daniel and Teal'c arrive yesterday, on a ship carrying a number of Jaffa and slaves. They had come to join the System Lord's army on the planet Pol."

"Which System Lord?", asked Hammond. The name of the planet meant nothing to him however a sense of foreboding was already filling the room.

"Ba'al", Jacob answered simply.

"Ba'al?" exclaimed Griff. "Why the hell would they join Ba'al's forces? He wasn't the one who took Jack and Sam." Looking over at the General he grimaced. "Sorry Sir – I was just shocked."

"No worries son. I feel the same." Turning to his friend of many years George asked, "any idea as to why?"

"Our operative hasn't made contact with them so was unable to find out anything specific. He wasn't sure if he should in case they weren't working undercover but had really defected to Ba'al's service." When the humans in the room all began to object he swiftly continued. "Look, you know that many Tokra are still suspicious of the Jaffa – even 'Free Jaffa'. They have thousands of years of bad history between them. It doesn't take much, unfortunately, for the Tokra to be suspicious." Looking over at George he continued. "And the fact of the matter is that we _don't_ really know what's happening. We know that both of them were affected by that chemical and have already done things not in their natures. We have to err on the side of caution."

Although painful, each person in the room knew that Jacob had a point. Still, they couldn't believe that Daniel or Teal'c would ever willingly join a Goa'uld. No, something else had to be happening here.

"But it could be possible that they were just caught up in something – that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Hammond asked.

"It's possible, although the word is that Teal'c was pretty chummy with some of the other Jaffa. He certainly wasn't being held prisoner. Daniel was acting as his slave."

"How is it that they weren't discovered? Surely someone would have recognized Teal'c – or at least his tattoo."

"He was pretending to be from Andor." When that didn't get any reaction other than extreme puzzlement he continued,

"Andorans must keep their heads covered at all times – it's an important part of their religion. No Jaffa would ever force them to take off their covering. His tattoo wouldn't be seen."

"Well, that proves it", cried Janet in relief. "If they really had defected Teal'c would simply have claimed to have 'returned to the worship of the true god' or some such cr – ur stuff. They must be there for a good reason. But what could it be?"

"Well, there is something", Jacob continued. "Ba'al's forces are preparing for battle. Our operative said that an attack appears imminent – it could happen any day."

"God, what next!" exclaimed Hammond as he rubbed his hand over his bald head. "Any idea as to who he's planning to attack?"

"No, it's all very 'hush, hush' – which is itself very unusual. Usually the Goa'uld are pretty 'in your face' about any planned assault. They like to spread mayhem and terror in advance of the actual attack. The fact that this is being kept to only his most senior officers is strange."

"So, no ideas at all?" The General didn't know what good this was going to do unless they could figure out why the two members of SG1 had joined with Ba'al.

"Well, there's just one thing – and I think it may explain why they're there."

"And?" they all waited until finally Jacob continued.

"The word is that the attack has to do with an old enemy of Ba'al's." He looked around the table at the worried faces and grimaced. "It is said that this enemy is one of the few who ever escaped from him. It is also said that this enemy is the same one who has killed many System Lords – and that he is Tauri."

Dead silence greeted his words. This made no sense. Ba'al was planning to attack another Goa'uld over _Jack!_ What could this possibly mean?

**Pol**

"Please, my Master is Tro'han. He does not allow anyone to touch me." Daniel gasped. He had been forced up against the wall, his face pressed into the bricks and his arms held tightly behind his back. He was in a short alleyway, just having returned with food supplies for Teal'c and Jac'tral. He should have known better than to attempt to take a short cut.

The large Jaffa who was holding him just laughed as he pressed the slave further into the wall. He'd seen this one for the last few days and desired him. He figured that now he would have his chance.

Without saying another word the Jaffa reached around and attempted to undo Daniel's pants. He had some trouble, as he was unfamiliar with how the slave's strange clothing worked. Jaffa had never experienced zippers.

Daniel continued to struggle, knowing that things were bad. He tried to yell but found it impossible as his neck was held in a vice and his mouth was jammed against the brick. He even attempted to lash out with his feet but again, the Jaffa just laughed and moved his legs.

Frustrated with his inability to get the slave's clothes off easily, the attacker reached for his dagger. If need be he'd simply cut the pants away. It was then that Daniel had his chance. As he felt the grip on his arms loosen he pulled away, and turned around. He'd caught the Jaffa by surprise and quickly pushed against him with all his strength. As the man stumbled back, Daniel turned and fled as if his life (or at least his honor) depended on it.

It didn't take long for the Jaffa to follow. With a roar of rage he quickly regained his balance and raced after the insolent slave who dared refuse him.

Although Daniel was strong, and had spent many years in the field, he was no match for a 6'5" Jaffa with anger and lust coursing through him. He had almost made it out of the alley when he felt an arm grab him and pull him around.

"No!" he yelled. This time he didn't hesitate but called out again, "TRO'HAN!" With a grin the Jaffa forced him back up against the wall, this time slamming him in the kidney. With a gasp Daniel could feel his legs give out as the burning agony radiated from his lower back. God, he hoped there wasn't serious damage.

"Come on, stop.", he panted. "Tro'han will kill you for this."

"For a slave? I do not think so. I will offer to buy you for a good price. I would like to have you for my own pleasure."

This time, as the Jaffa reached around, he didn't attempt to remove Daniel's pants, he simply grabbed him in the groin.

"Aaagh!" screamed Daniel. Teal'c, where are you buddy? I really, really need you. Suddenly, on the heel of that thought, the body pressing against him was gone. It took a moment for him to catch his breath but, when he looked around, he could see that his attacker was effectively done for.

Teal'c stood over the would-be rapist, a furious look on his face. The Jaffa's face was covered in blood and it looked like his arm had been wrenched out of its socket. In fact, it looked almost as if it had been ripped off.

"Are you all right Daniel?" Teal'c looked at him in concern, although his eyes were still filled with rage.

"I … think so Te – Tro'han", he gasped. He couldn't stand up straight, the pain still spreading through his back. "Thanks. I thought I was … a goner there for a minute."

"You would have been more than a 'goner' if I had not heard your cries. You must take more care. This is a dangerous place for a human slave."

"Tell me about it." Daniel was finally able to stand a bit straighter, although he still felt awful. He noticed that he'd started to shake, reaction from the attack beginning to set in.

"Come, let us return to the tent. You must rest."

"What about him?" Daniel pointed down at the still unconscious Jaffa.

"You need not worry. He will not hurt you - or anyone again." It was then that Daniel noticed something that made him want to throw up. The Jaffa's groin was also covered in blood.

"Oh my God Teal'c! What did you do?"

"I did nothing. It was his own dagger. He had it out, ready to use on you. When I pulled him away he slipped and stabbed himself. I believe he will never again be able to force himself on anyone."

Daniel looked at his friend for a moment, wondering if Teal'c was telling the truth. After a moment he decided he really didn't want to know. He'd accept the story that the man had suffered at his own hand. As glad as he was to be out of this mess, he couldn't help but spare a small – a very small – amount of sympathy for the Jaffa.

By the time they'd arrived back at Jac'tral's tent Daniel was feeling like crap. He was really worried that something was terribly wrong. If that were so it was really going to screw with their plans. They, along with the other Jaffa, had been told to prepare for imminent battle. Ba'al's mothership was coming to pick them up the next day. They weren't sure were they were headed but the rumor was that it was to attack another Goa'uld – one who provided 'hosts' for Lord Ba'al.

As Daniel lay there in pain he decided that he would have to stay. Teal'c would just have to go without him. When he said this to his friend Teal'c simply looked at him for a moment. He then stood and walked out of the tent.

Well, that was nice. Daniel thought. Wonder what that was all about? He dozed for a while, feeling too sick to actually sleep, when the tent flap opened. Teal'c walked in with a man dressed in some kind of robes. Daniel couldn't tell if he was Jaffa or human. He didn't have a tattoo on his forehead but didn't look like a slave either.

"This is the one I told you about." Teal'c said to his companion.

"But he is a slave!" The robed man looked down in surprise.

"Yes, but a very valuable one to me. I have spent many years training him and I do not want to lose him."

"I see. Yes, it's difficult to find good slaves now days. So many of them have escaped and run off, probably to join the free Jaffa." Teal'c looked up at this, his eyebrow raised.

"I have not heard much of these 'free Jaffa'. Can you tell me about them?" He spoke as the other man reached into the pouch tied around his waist and pulled something out.

"I am surprised. Everyone seems to be talking about them. They are Jaffa who are running away from their service to their Gods and joining the fight with the Tokra and Tauri against the System Lords. The Goa'uld say there are few of them, that it's only a small number, but we've all heard differently." He glanced up quickly then, worried that he'd said too much. As 'Tro'han' continued to look interested, but not upset, he sighed in relief.

The Healer walked over to the slave and motioned for Tro'han to turn him over. Gently, Teal'c looked down at his human friend and winked! He then helped Daniel roll onto his front. The younger man groaned as the movement caused the pain to increase.

"I have been away. I was gone for seven years on a journey for knowledge and wisdom. I have only recently returned and have just heard of these 'free Jaffa'."

"Really? How interesting." As he spoke he held his hand over Daniel's back. The younger man could feel a warmth and tingling spread across his low back and into his thighs. It felt wonderful.

"You will have to tell me about it one day." The Healer continued to speak to the Jaffa as he healed his 'slave'. "I'm interested in finding out new things."

"How long have you been in service to my Lord Ba'al?" Teal'c asked.

"Since I was a child. My family was killed in an attack by my Lord Ba'al's forces and I was taken into service. I was trained to be a healer." He held the healing device over Daniel for a few more seconds. "There, that should be sufficient. He may be a bit sore but he should feel fine by tomorrow." They both looked down at the 'slave' who was now fast asleep. "Will he be accompanying you to the battle?"

"Yes. I rely on him to look after my weapons and to cook my meals. It allows me time to concentrate on the fight."

"Yes, well, this will be a short one I expect."

"Really? Why do you believe that is so?" Teal'c hadn't been able to find out much information. Most Jaffa didn't know anything and he'd avoided the senior officers in case one of them might recognize him. Maybe here he'd found someone with some information.

Teal'c offered the Healer a drink and something to eat. The man obviously liked to talk!

"Well, the word is that Ba'al is going to attack my Lord Matsya." When it seemed as if Tro'han didn't recognize the name the Healer continued. "Lord Matsya is known for his wonderful hosts. Many Goa'uld covet them but only the richest and most powerful can afford them. It is said that he has a secret that produces beautiful, healthy and strong hosts. Lately, he met with Lord Ba'al and sold him some new ones. He also told My Lord of two Tauri that he had captured. Ba'al was intrigued. He has a hatred for these Tauri the like of which I have never seen. It is said", and here the man's voice dropped to a whisper, "that it was a Tauri who bested My Lord. It is also the Tauri who have been responsible for the destruction of many System Lords."

"I still do not see why this would cause My Lord to wage war against this "Matsya"?

"Well, Matsya offered the child of the two Tauri to Lord Ba'al. He was to meet Ba'al in a month to prove that he had them and that the woman was with child."

"So? I still do not understand." Teal'c had begun to feel very disquieted by this time. He also realized that Daniel was now awake and listening intently.

"It turned out that Ba'al had a spy amongst Matsya's servants. This spy reported back and told Lord Ba'al, not only about the fact that Matsya did have the secret to making exceptional hosts – but he also told him about the Tauri."

"What about the Tauri?" Teal'c was still, waiting for the shoe to drop.

"It is said that the Tauri male who was captured is the very one who defeated Ba'al. He still wants the child, to make it a host, but he also wants the Tauri – both the man and the woman. He also figures to get the secret so that he can make his own hosts. Some believe that he plans to have these Tauri produce many, many children – that he will start his own army with them!"

The healer sat back, pleased to have been able to impart such juicy gossip. When he looked at the face of Troh'an he quickly panicked. The Jaffa looked furious and suddenly, he feared for his life.

"But – this is all rumor. I do not know if this is true. My Lord Ba'al is good and all-powerful. His ways are not to be known to his lowly servants." The Healer was practically babbling in fear.

It took a few moments before Teal'c realized what had happened. He looked up at the Healer.

"Do not worry. All that you have told me will stay with me. I will not repeat what you have said and I thank you for sharing this knowledge with me. I thank you too for healing my slave. He is very valuable to me. How much do I owe you?"

"No, no. It will cost you nothing, my lord. I am happy to have been of service!" The poor man backed out of the tent, wanting nothing more than to run away and hide.

"Oh my God Teal'c! What are we going to do?" Daniel sat up. He felt much better although still a little sore and weak.

"Do? We will do as we planned Daniel Jackson. We will accompany Ba'al's troops to the battle against Matsya. At least we know for a fact that O'Neill is there. We will save him, of that I have no doubt."

"And Sam", whispered Daniel, "and Sam".

**Mithrad's House**

He started to worry again when Sam didn't come out of the bathroom right away. He'd knocked a couple of times and she'd answered, simply saying to 'leave her alone'. He would then hear more sounds of her throwing up.

He really hoped she was okay. They had to get out of here and get back to Janet. He just hoped she could help them both! He didn't know if Sam had the same thing as him or not – certainly her symptoms were different. So far, all he'd noticed was the nausea, which had just hit her this morn -.

He stopped and suddenly had to sit down on the side of the bed before his knees gave out on him. Nausea? Morning? No, it couldn't be. Could it? She couldn't be pregnant – she was on birth control, for God's sake. She'd told him that; told him that it was still good for a few weeks!

But then again, they'd been given that Koprushu crap – and who knew what that did. Maybe it counteracted the birth control. Heck, certain earth medicines had the same affect! It was possible – but it would be awful.

To bring a child into this situation was the worst thing he could imagine. Losing a child in death had been soul-destroying – the worst thing in his life. The thought of having one made a host was equally as horrifying.

He lowered his head into his hands, feeling despair. There was also the fact that he was probably going to die! His only legacy in this universe was going to be a child who was a scum sucking Goa'uld! He groaned in anguish – what could they do? They'd already been here a few weeks and – wait!

The timing was all wrong. It's true they 'd been here a few weeks but it hadn't been that long since he and Sam had 'Mai'thuned' –he laughed bitterly. No, it had been only a few days since they had stopped doing – that – and they'd only been doing it for a few days anyway. No, there was no way she'd be getting morning sickness this early. It must be something else.

Relieved at first, he then felt bad. What if it was some serious illness? Pregnancy would certainly be better than that and they would still have time to figure out how to get away.

His head was spinning with all the possibilities when the door to the bathroom finally opened and Sam came out. She looked terrible – her face was completely white and her hair was damp and standing on end. She'd clearly tried to clean herself up but she desperately looked like she needed to be in bed.

"Come on Carter. You'd better lie down. You look like crap!"

"Thanks Sir", she answered, her voice flat. He wasn't sure if she was really thanking him or whether she was being sarcastic in response to his comment. Feeling guilty, he helped her onto the bed and tucked the blankets around her. He desperately wanted to join her; partly because he still was freezing, although not as bad as before, and partly because he wanted to offer her some comfort. He knew that wouldn't be appreciated.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Maybe a glass of water." She had to be pretty dehydrated by now. He went over and got her a glass. He then helped her sit up as she took a long drink. Sighing she finished it and lay back down.

"Thank you." This time it was meant more sincerely. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Hey Carter – we've been abused, starved, tortured and enslaved by a Goa'uld. I think maybe your body is just telling you it's had enough. I'm sure you'll feel better soon."

"I hope so. There's nothing I hate more than the stomach flu."

"Yeah, you and me both – except maybe having holes poked into me by aliens – that's worse."

"And being sucked into a computer – that was pretty awful."

"Yeah, that'd be not so nice. How about the pain stick?"

"Yuch – the pain stick is really bad."

"I think the 'stuck to the wall like a bug' was one of my least favorites."

"It looked pretty painful Sir."

"It was."

"Turning into cavemen and women – that was not so great."

"It was – although that little tank top Carter! That made it almost worth while!"

She giggled. She hadn't thought of that for a long time.

"Being frozen in Antarctica – that was cold, really cold."

"Especially since you hid the fact that you were badly hurt."

"Hey – remember what I said – I didn't want you to put a splint on it!"

"Being taken over by Jolinar – that's one of **my** least favorites."

"Yeah", he grew quiet, remembering his own possession by a Tokra. "Yeah – can't say as I enjoyed my 'Tokra holiday' too much either".

She wished she hadn't mentioned Jolinar because it had brought up bad memories for the Colonel. She wished she could help him."

"It must have been really bad Sir", she said softly, unsure whether or not she was moving into forbidden territory.

"Pretty bad." He stopped, his mind returning to that very dark time. "The worst was knowing it would never end. No matter what I said or did, it would always continue. Oh, Bocce promised to end it if I told him, but I knew he wouldn't really end things. He was having too much fun." She stayed quiet, hoping he would continue to talk although it was painful to hear.

"Every time I was about to die I'd pray that I wouldn't wake up and every time I would. I'd wake up to that damn light in the sarcophagus and know it was about to start all over again."

He looked over at her, still caught up in his memories. "Do you know what it's like to have acid eating away at you from the inside?" She hoped it was a rhetorical question because she really didn't think she'd be able to answer him without bursting into tears.

"I think it's the worst Carter, definitely the worst." At that he took a deep breath and seemed to come back to the present. He looked at her and smiled slightly. "That's why we gotta get the hell out of here before Ba'al shows up. There's no way I want either of us to go through that."

She nodded, agreeing with him. She couldn't bear to see Jack in the clutches of that suave monster again.

"So Carter, how're you feeling now?"

Looking slightly surprised, she answered. "Much better Sir. The nausea is almost gone."

"See, what'd I tell ya – it was the 24 hour flu."

"What about you Sir? You look rather pale and you still seem to be shivering."

"Oh, I'm lots better Major. Still a bit of left over sickness but I'm sure I'll get better everyday, especially if we get our asses out of here."

Nodding, she sat up. "Let me work on that medallion again Colonel. If we can get it off today or tomorrow then we can see about leaving."

He walked over and picked up the small file, holding his blanket tightly around himself. He tried desperately not to show her how badly he still shook. No matter what, he couldn't seem to warm up. He just wished he could press himself against her naked body – that would warm him up! Down O'Neill, he told himself. Do **not** start getting amorous thoughts about Carter. She was a friend, nothing more – never anything more.

As she sat filing the link that held the medallion, he was able to look down at her bent head. His heart filled with love and tenderness for this woman. He knew he was often a bastard with her, especially lately, and he hated the thought that he was hurting her. He knew it was his defense mechanism (and okay, if he were being honest, it was also a small bit of jealousy towards Pete). He decided he had to stop being the sarcastic jerk he knew he could be and treat her better. He didn't have many days left, he figured. He'd like her to remember him fondly, not as a Jackass!

"I think this is going to come off real soon Sir. The core seems a bit softer and it's going faster now. In fact – ooph!" she gasped as the link suddenly broken and the medallion rolled across the floor.

"Hey, great job Major!" He suddenly felt a huge sense of relief, as if they now had a chance. They knew the layout of the camp and the times of the guard changes. With that information they could make their escape tonight!

Turning to Sam he reached out and grabbed her, pulling her to him and giving her a hug. "Thanks Sam!" He held her for a moment, feeling guilty for the pleasure he was taking in the hug. Knowing that he was indulging himself, he went to pull away. It was at that moment that he realized she was hugging back equally as fiercely and she wasn't letting go!

"Sam?" he murmured in her hair.

"Just hold me Jack, please?"

"Uh, okay, if you're sure?"

"I'm sure. I've missed this so much." He wasn't sure if she meant she'd missed _him_ or if she'd missed being held by another person. Maybe she just missed Pete and was using him as a substitute. Oh for God's sake O'Neill, get a grip. What does it matter? Just enjoy it and give her some comfort. You both could use some.

"Come on. We both need to rest. It's gonna be a long night." Still hugging her he led her to the bed. Climbing up they both lay down and pulled the covers up. Turning to her again he wrapped his arms around her and she cuddled up to him. For the first time in days he began to feel warm.

As they both drifted off to sleep, knowing that tonight was their chance at freedom, they both rejoiced in the fact that they were again together, if only fleetingly. It gave them strength and resolve. If only they had known that they were equally loved, they would have been given even more.


	19. Escape

**Ba'al's Mothership**

Daniel was amazed at the level of activity and coordination that happened on a Goa'uld mothership preparing for battle. It was evident that these men – or Jaffa rather – had spent years in training. They worked together like the proverbial 'well-oiled machine'. It was equally as clear that independent thought was severely frowned upon. Each man had his place and his job – he was to do what he was told, when and nothing more.

Teal'c seemed to be able to fit back in relatively well although he was still having some difficulty. That came more from the fact that he had been First Prime, and used to being in charge, than from any feeling of discomfort at having been away from this for so many years.

Daniel just tried to stay out of everyone's way. After his recent experience on Pol he stayed as close to home as possible. In this case it meant the small quarters Teal'c shared with three other Jaffa; Jac'tral and two others Daniel hadn't met before they'd arrived on the ship.

He'd actually grown to like Jac'tral. The Jaffa had a mind of his own and he was pretty positive that Teal'c was hoping to recruit him to the free Jaffa movement. His friend was being cautious however. Now was not the time to give themselves away.

Teal'c's 'unit', if it could be called that (actually, he called it a Z'fir) had been called away for some pre-battle instructions. Daniel hoped they'd find out some information that could help them locate and rescue Jack and Sam. They'd never faced such odds before – basically two against hundreds! He knew that stealth, courage and, hopefully, the assistance of their two friends, would be all that would bring them success.

While Daniel was waiting, in their small corner of the room, one of the other slaves came over.

"May I sit with you?" the man asked. If Daniel remembered correctly, his name was Kraneas and he was slave to Gro'Mal. Daniel had taken an instant disliking to the Jaffa. He was surly and arrogant and could be a problem.

"Sure, take a seat." He wondered if the man was simply anxious to talk or if there was some ulterior motive behind his friendliness. It was sad, Daniel pondered, that he had lost his innocence and trust of people after his years on SG1. At the same time, he knew his now suspicious nature was invaluable and could mean the difference between life and death for him and his friends.

"I hear you have come from far away? Is it true you come from a place called Shayan?"

"Yes." Daniel answered simply. Better not give too much away.

"My master had not heard of that place. He is very curious to learn more of this Shayan. He too desires to gain knowledge."

"Yeah – learning is a good thing." Yup – he was sure of it. This was not an innocent 'chat' between slaves.

"Were you in Shayan as well?"

"Uh, my master doesn't really like me to discuss it. I suggest your master talk to my master directly."

"But surely you can tell me some things. I too am interested."

"Really? Why?"

This seemed to stump the slave for a minute. There was no reason for a slave to show interest in anything!

"It is a good thing for a slave to understand all his master is interested in."

"Oh? I always thought a good slave minded his own business."

Kraneas jerked back at that – realizing that he'd pushed too far, too fast. Relaxing again he sat back.

"I did not mean to offend. I was simply interested. If you cannot speak of Shayan, tell me where you are from? How did you become slave to Master Tro'han?"

Since Daniel and Teal'c had discussed this, at length, on the journey here, he was ready with some quick answers although he didn't want to appear too eager to share knowledge.

"My parents were captured and taken to Andor many years ago. I was born into the service of my Master and have served him since I became an adult." He stopped, knowing that less was better. He could see the frustration on the other slave's face. Obviously he'd been told by Gro'Mal to find out as much as he could about Teal'c – or 'Tro'han'. This worried Daniel. The last thing they needed right now was trouble.

"My Master says he _has_ heard of Shayan." Kraneas stopped, looking at Daniel closely as if waiting for a reaction.

Daniel looked back – something was wrong here. "Really? I thought you said your master hadn't heard of it."

"He knows it is the home of the Tauri."

Crap, thought Daniel. Now we're in for it. Teal'c, why did you have to try and be funny? Couldn't you have made up another name?

"Tauri? Who told you that? There were no Tauri there. It was a place for Jaffa." He tried to sound convincing.

Again Kraneas stopped. He was biting his lip, clearly trying to decide whether or not to continue. He looked up and caught Daniel's eye. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

"My Master was told this by Sel'mak. You may have heard of him?" '

"Did you say 'Selmak?" he practically squeaked.

"Shhh! Yes – do you know of him?"

"Uh maybe. Don't think he's from Andor though and I don't remember him being on Shayan." Wait and see Daniel, wait and see.

"I believe he has gone to Shayan many times. I believe he has gone to see the great 'Ham'mond', leader of the Tauri."

"Okay. Where did you get this information? What is this about?" Daniel was worried, but also angry. He couldn't figure out what was going on.

Kraneas looked around, making sure they were still alone in the small room. Leaning forward he whispered one word,

"Tokra"

Just at that moment Teal'c walked into the room, laughing at something said to him by his companion, Jak'tral. As soon as he saw the two Jaffa, Kraneas leapt to his feet and headed over to his Master's corner of the room. Daniel gazed after him; hope beginning to blossom in his chest.

Although he agreed with Jack most of the time when it concerned the Tokra, he knew they could use all the allies they could get. Maybe too they could get word back to the Tokra and from there to the SGC. Things just might be looking up.

Teal'c finally came over and sat down.

"Food and water, slave!" he demanded. Daniel knew that his friend had to keep up appearances but he was starting to get worried that Teal'c was beginning to enjoy this just a little too much. He hesitated just a second, looking directly at Teal'c, who looked back and raised his eyebrow. Silently Daniel tried to convey a message – don't start believing this scenario, he seemed to say.

Teal'c stared for just a minute and then bowed his head, recognizing the need to keep focused. It was just that the whole situation reminded him of some of the good parts of his younger years. He knew that this wouldn't continue, and he wouldn't give up his freedom for anything, but he also acknowledged that he had allowed himself to enjoy the nostalgia of the situation just a bit too much.

Daniel finally stood and got food and drink, knowing it would look suspicious if he didn't and would force Teal'c to discipline him. As he returned with the light luncheon Teal'c gestured for him to sit and gave him a portion.

"You treat your slave too well, my friend", called out Jak'tral. "He will get lazy and complacent." Okay, thought Daniel, you just went down in my estimation. So much for liking him.

"He is faithful to me", declared Teal'c. "I reward that. Treating slaves harshly makes them resent and hate you. They will then betray you when you do not expect it."

Jak'tral laughed. "You're smart Tro'han – and right. Hey D'nor, do you know how lucky you are?"

"Yes, my Lord"

"Well, in that case – how about bringing me something as well? Please?" he asked, winking at Teal'c.

"Yes, my Lord." Daniel stood and got some more food and took it to Jak'tral. He wasn't quite sure now where this Jaffa stood.

"Thank you D'Nor. You are a good servant. You don't happen to have a brother, do you?"

Daniel looked up at him, again not sure what to make of this. "No, my Lord."

"Oh, too bad. I could use a good slave." Stretching, Jac'tral laid down on his palette, arms behind his head.

"So Tro'han, what do you think will happen when we get to V'ratesh?" Daniel glanced quickly up at this. So, they knew where they were going.

"I believe Ba'al will be victorious. He is strong, the strongest of the System Lords. I do not believe Matsya will have a chance against him."

"You are probably right although he's managed to avoid any of the System Lords for many years. He's a sneaky devil. I would not put it past him to have a trick or two waiting for us."

"That is possible. What do you know of this 'Matsya'. We were told very little."

"Yes, Ba'al's officers are keeping things pretty quiet. I guess they don't want to give anything away. Well, I know that he produces amazing hosts – the best anywhere – and they command exorbitant prices. The hosts are said to last longer than any others and to be more beautiful and stronger. Some of the gods have tested the hosts – dissecting them to see what they could find."

"Did they learn anything?" Teal'c spoke dispassionately although Daniel felt sick. They were talking about the hosts as if they were bugs in a science experiment. These were human beings!

"Not really. All they found was that they were extremely healthy. They appeared to have no defects whatsoever. It is said that Matsya has a formula that makes it so." He stopped to take a bite of the bread.

"Why do you believe my Lord Ba'al wishes to conquer Matsya? Surely he has no need of that many hosts?"

"No, the word is that it's not about the hosts but about two Tauri who Matsya captured. He refused to give them to Ba'al, only promising their offspring to him. Although my Lord agreed, he was determined to have the Tauri. It is said the man is his sworn enemy."

"I am surprised a simple Tauri would be such an enemy. Are they not a weak and insignificant race?"

"Yes, but it is said this man has the blood of the Ancient ones in him – that he is special. I do not know if it is true but it is my Lord's decision. We follow where he leads."

"Indeed."

Things grew quiet in the room as Jak'tral leaned back and dozed. Kraneas busied himself with his master's things. Daniel dearly wanted to speak with Teal'c about what the slave had said but knew he had to be careful. A little while later the door slid open and in walked Gro'Mal who simply grunted and sat down.

His slave scurried around and served him. The large and taciturn Jaffa (or Tokra, Daniel wondered) didn't appear to pay any attention to his slave, just accepting, as his due, all that Kraneas did.

"What do you think, Andoran?" the Jaffa grunted softly. He moved over until he was sitting next to Teal'c who looked up slowly, his eyebrows raised.

"Think about what, my friend?"

"About what Ba'al is planning? Do you think it's wise?" Gro'Mal was speaking softly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping Jak'tral.

"I think our Lord knows if it is wise. It is not up to lowly Jaffa to make that determination."

"Lowly Jaffa? I don't think you were ever a lowly Jaffa." Gro'Mal turned away and began to pick his teeth, sucking on his finger nails when he was done.

Gross, thought Daniel. Surely he can't be Tokra? As irritating as they were, they were a pretty refined race – not boors like this one.

"Where do you hail from Gro'Mal?" Okay, Teal'c was taking the lead. Interesting!

"I come from a planet called Kar'ter. You may have heard of it?"

There was a tiny pause, so small Daniel was sure no one else noticed, before Teal'c spoke again.

"I do believe I may have although I have not met anyone from there. Tell me about it."

Gro'Mal looked over at Teal'c, his eyes slightly narrowed. They were both circling around each other.

"It is a great planet – one of the oldest in our system. It is said that many years ago the planet was sick and was dying. It was then that a wise Goa'uld came and saved it. It is now a mighty planet, full of much wisdom and strong warriors."

"Yes, I have heard as much. You must be proud. Do you communicate with your people on Kar'ter?" Oooh – careful Teal'c!

"Yes, when I am able. Those there know I am on a great mission with my Lord Ba'al. They have wished me well and know that we will prosper."

"Are there others from your planet in service to my Lord Ba'al?"

"No, it is only I, although they desire to send more." He leaned over, obtensively to help himself to a piece of fruit from the bowl in front of Teal'c. As he did so he whispered quickly,

"More are being sent – from Shayan." With that he leaned back and grinned, taking a bite of apple. Teal'c looked indifferent, if a bit disgusted at the uncouth Jaffa. Daniel felt surge of hope.

Things were looking up.

**Mithrad's House**

"Colonel. Come on Sir, wake up." Someone was shaking him but he really didn't want to get up. He felt chilled and couldn't face getting up and going on patrol. It was too early. He wanted to sleep some more.

"Nrph" he replied groggily. The Sergeant must be a sadist, he thought. It was still dark out.

"Come on Sir, you have to wake up." This time the shaking was harder. With a groan he finally opened his eyes. He looked straight at the gorgeous blond shaking him. Oh yeah, this was a dream – and what a great one! As she scowled at him he changed his mind – okay, so not great. What's she got up her trous – Wait! It was Carter.

"Carter?" he mumbled. "Whatcha doin' in my bedroom?" he shivered. Damn, it was cold.

"Sir, come on. We've got to leave."

"Leave? Why?"

She looked down in frustration. The Colonel was looking terrible again and was very obviously out of it. He appeared almost drunk and was shivering uncontrollably.

"Sir, we're being held captive, remember? We agreed to try and escape tonight. You have to concentrate, okay?" He looked at her for another minute until it started to sink in. Oh yeah, they were being held by that jerk Matsya who wanted them to f - ! He sat up suddenly, clutching the blankets around himself.

"Oh God! Sorry Carter", he shivered again. The medicine had warn off and he needed another shot. His brain felt like sludge and he was freezing again. How to get Sam away so he could sneak some?

"Could I have some wwwaatttter, Mmmmajor?" She looked at him worriedly for a second and then nodded. As she headed towards the cupboard which held the water jug he quickly put his hand down the side of the mattress and pulled out the little bottle. He quickly gave himself a drop, under the tongue. Now, where to keep this? He stuck it in the waist of the blanket wrapped around him. He'd have to find a better place.

He took the water and attempted to drink, although he was shivering so badly most of it spilled down his chest – which only made him feel colder.

Sam looked over at the Colonel, worried that whatever was wrong had come back. How were they going to escape with O'Neill in this condition? As she watched him, however, the shivering seemed to lessen. After a few more minutes he looked up and his eyes seemed much clearer. He still didn't look well, but not as bad a before.

"Are you okay now Sir?"

"Right as rain, Major. Sorry – I think I was just a little chilly and thirsty. I'm better now." She looked skeptical but, if he could make it, now was their chance.

They had decided that the best time to try and make their escape was about two hours after darkness. It was about 30 minutes before the change in shift and the guards would be tired and thinking of their break – rather than a break out! Fortunately the planet's moon was in its 'new' phase and cast little light.

They would try and make it out of the small bathroom window. It would be a tight fit for Jack but hopefully he could squeeze through. It was on the back side of the house and there were fewer guards. One Jaffa would circle the perimeter of the camp but they had him timed so would wait for him to pass by before attempting the escape.

Once they'd gotten out they'd head towards the ship – they hoped it would be there. They would then try and steal it and escape. They felt terrible about leaving the prisoners and slaves but knew they couldn't hope to rescue them all at this time. Their plan was to return, with help, to free those on the planet.

It hadn't seemed like there was much in the way of defences. Matsya relied more on secrecy that weapons. He kept his prisoners in – and didn't worry too much about keeping others out.

His arrogance, or that of D'jindra, had meant that Jack and Sam weren't guarded too closely. They thought that the chest 'medallion' would ensure his captivity.

Jack looked down at the chains on his chest, now without the medallion. He hoped and prayed that it would be okay, that it wouldn't activate with the sphere attached. He and Sam had discussed whether or not to take it with them or leave it. They finally decided that Sam would carry it but keep it away from Jack.

"Okay Sir. Ready?"

"Ready when you are Major. You go first." Jack had managed to secure the small medicine bottle around his waist, under a strip of blanket he'd torn off. Hopefully it would stay there even if he lost the blanket.

"Uh Sir, I think you should go first."

"Why?"

"Well, if you get stuck I can push you by standing on the toilet. I won't be able to reach to help you from the other side."

"Good point Major. Okay, here goes."

He stood on the toilet and carefully opened the small window. Loosening the hinges he removed it completely. Both the human's hearts stopped when a loud 'squeak' rent the air. They waited but no one came running so they kept going. Jack pulled himself up and stuck his arms and then his head through.

Oh yeah, this was going to be tight! He'd wrapped the blanket tightly around his waist but was afraid it wasn't going to survive the trip. He expected he'd end up scraping some of his tender bits as well!

He pulled himself through, getting stuck a couple of times. Sam tried to help but it really didn't do much good – it was more a case of 'pull' rather than 'push'. At one point she did help by pushing on his butt. She'd given a small 'sorry Sir' before placing her hands on his backside and trying to help him through the window. As much as it hurt to try and squash himself through, he got a small stab of pleasure from the feel of her hands.

You're a pervert, Jack, he said to himself. Buy hey – might as well take enjoyment from the small things - there's not much else.

Finally, he was through. He dropped to the ground, almost hitting his head and a lonely rock. He quickly stood, checking to make sure everything was still where it was supposed to be, including the medicine. He'd been right about the blanket – it had fallen back into the bathroom.

Suddenly, it came flying out and landed on top of him. Thanks! He sent a silent word of gratitude to Sam. He really didn't want to be traipsing through the forest in his birthday suit.

Soon Sam's arms, then head, then torso appeared. She was much thinner and the trip was relatively painless. He did grab her so she wouldn't fall, as he'd done. When she'd managed to get out completely she dropped into his arms. They stood for a while, making sure that they hadn't been heard. When all remained quiet they turned towards the fence.

This was going to be the hardest part, they knew. They'd taken a couple of the tools from the house and Sam had tied them in a piece of blanket which she'd wrapped around herself. As they went to the darkest part of the compound, and the one the farthest away from the guard station, she pulled open the small pack and pulled out what looked like a small saw. As Jack knelt down, Sam turned and kept watch.

He worked for a while, as quietly as he could. By the time he was done he'd made six foot and hand holds in the fence. There was no way he could have sawed through it to make a big enough hole to crawl through, and anyway, it would have advertised their escape. As it was, they should be able to climb up and over now that they had some 'steps'.

This time Jack indicated for Sam to go first. He could help push her up if she needed it, although he didn't think she did. This was pretty basic stuff for soldiers. First however, she tossed over the other pack she had made which contained some of their 'home-made' weapons.

He was right – she quickly and easily made it over. He could hear her soft 'oooph' as she dropped down the almost 10 foot drop on the other side. He hoped she hadn't done any damage.

Okay, he was next. He started out by putting his hands in two of the grooves and then lifted his foot. It was only then that he realized how weak he was. Crap! He didn't know if he could make it. Normally this would have been child's play – now it looked like Mount Everest.

He tried to pull himself up but his arms were shaking – this time not from cold, but from weakness.

"Sir?' he heard a frantic whisper. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing Carter", he whispered back. He had to be able to make it. Finally, refusing to give up, he managed to pull himself up. Still shaking and afraid he was going to fall, he kept going. It was purely adrenaline and obstinacy – because he really didn't have the strength.

Thank God, he thought as he pulled himself up the last little bit. Peering over the top he looked down and could see Carter's worried face looking up. With a small groan he pulled himself up the last bit until he was balanced on the top of the fence, his torso on one side, his hips and legs on the other. Knowing there was no way he could bring his legs over he simply closed his eyes.

"Oh well, here goes." He leaned forward and dropped, head first, down the other side of the fence.

"Jack!" she screeched in a whisper as he dropped. She tried to catch him but only managed to grab him around his waist as he fell. It didn't stop him, but it did slow his descent. He still banged into the ground head first, his neck seeming to bend back too far.

Damn – he can't have broken his neck, she thought, quickly kneeling down beside him. His eyes were shut and she couldn't tell if he was breathing. Not wanting to move him, worried that he'd injured his back or neck (if he was still alive), she sat dazed, wondering what to do.

"Crap", a small, craggy voice floated out of the night.

"Sir?" she asked, hopefully. "Are you okay?" He was beginning to move. He rolled over on his side, and brought his hands up to his neck.

"I'm going to have a hell of a stiff neck and an even worse headache", he groaned.

"Sir?" she asked, still worried.

"I'm okay Carter – just sore."

"Why did you come over like that? You could have killed yourself?" Now that he was okay she grew angry. It was a stupid stunt!

"Sorry – couldn't help it."

"What? Why not? All you had to do was kick your legs over and come down feet first. Any first year cadet could have done it!"

He looked at her in surprise. This wasn't like Carter – she would never speak to a superior officer like this.

"Uh –"

"I'm sorry Sir", she gasped. "I don't know – I shouldn't – I was just worried Sir."

Realizing what had happened he relaxed. As a parent he'd known what it was like to see your child hurt because of a crazy stunt. Once assured they were okay you usually got totally pissed off – he'd done it with Charlie a number of times and always felt guilty afterward.

"It's okay Carter, I understand."

"But I still don't Sir."

He looked at her with a question in his eyes.

"I still don't understand. What happened? Was something wrong?" By this time they had started moving through the forest, careful to keep an ear out for anything. Jack felt like total crap – the weakness from his 'addiction' affecting him along with the added joy of a raging headache and neck that felt like it was in a vice.

Knowing that she deserved the truth – and let's face it, he'd look like a fool otherwise – he decided to tell the truth.

"I'm still pretty weak Carter – from whatever bug hit me. I had trouble getting up and couldn't pull myself the final bit. I knew it was either go over head first or not at all."

She stopped at that and looked at him, worried again. He wasn't getting better, no matter what he said. She knew there was no point in saying anything so she gave a small smile and nodded. She had to get him back to Janet. Please God, let the ship be there.

As they started up again it dawned on her that the device in his stomach hadn't 'gone off'. She'd been so upset over his fall she'd totally forgotten about it. So, obviously, had he.

"Sir", she whispered. "How's your stomach?"

"Huh?"

"Your stomach – the device Sir."

He glanced down and then back at her with a grin. He put his hand up and gave the 'okay' sign. That was one good thing anyway.

Finally they arrived at the clearing. Staying hidden in the woods they looked out to see how many guards were present. They could see two, although expected there were more inside.

They communicated silently, using their military sign language. This was something they knew well. They each took one of the 'daggers' they had fashioned using some of Mithrad's tools. They weren't much but they were better than nothing. It would really come down to the element of surprise, they both knew.

As they each approached one of the Jaffa they waited until the time was right. Without a sound they moved behind their respective targets and struck.

Sam was successful immediately. The Jaffa crumpled, dead. Jack, however, did not have the same success. His reflexes, as well as his strength, were severely affected by his illness. As he reached up behind the Jaffa something – a small sound or movement, gave him away. The Jaffa turned quickly and raised his staff weapon.

Jack was too close for the guard to get a shot off but he was able to use the staff weapon as a club. He thwacked Jack across the middle, causing him to bend over in agony. The Jaffa then lifted it to crush the back of Jack's skull. Before he had a chance to bring it down, something hit him in the back. It took a moment before the Jaffa realized that, not only was there another enemy, that enemy had just killed him.

He dropped to the ground, his last thought one of regret. His master had taught him to be wary of just such a thing. Too bad he hadn't learned.

Sam ran up to Jack and bent down, checking to see if he were all right.

"I'm okay Carter. Just winded, and embarrassed. I'm not usually so pathetic!"

"You're sick Colonel. It's amazing you've gotten this far. Come on – let's see what's inside." She grabbed the Jaffa's staff weapon and zat – passing the smaller weapon to Jack. She didn't think he could handle a staff weapon in the shape he was in.

There had been no movement or anything since they'd attacked the two guards. It had only taken a few seconds and had been done relatively silently. They were worried at what they'd find inside, however.

As they made their way to the door of the ship they looked around, making sure there was no one else watching. They couldn't quite believe that Matsya would leave his ship quite so unguarded!

They reached the door and again signaled to one another. Standing pressed up against the side of the ship, to either side of the door, Sam pressed the entrance pad. The doors swooshed open and they both turned and threw themselves inside.

Sam came to a standing position almost immediately. Three Jaffa sat at a small table, playing some kind of game. They stared at her for a brief instant, shocked, and then all stood up, reaching for their weapons. She began shooting with her staff weapon. She got two of them right away although the third made it to his weapon and turned it on her.

Where the hell was the Colonel, she thought? Just as the Jaffa went to shoot she got a quick shot off and downed him. Shaking a bit, it had been close, she checked to make sure they were all taken care of. When she was sure they were safe she turned to the Colonel, still wondering why he hadn't shot the zat.

Jack was writhing on the floor, holding his stomach. They had celebrated too soon.


	20. Reunited

_**Sorry for the long delay in posting! I had a power blow out and that was followed by company so I haven't been able to post or reply to reviews. I'm sorry if I don't always get around to replying directly to every one of your reviews. Please know how much I appreciate your comments (and some of them make me laugh, in a good way – so thanks for that!) Starting this week I should be back to daily updates.**_

Oh no! She'd thought they'd gotten away with it but clearly the device in his stomach had activated. Maybe the medallion wasn't what controlled it.

"Jack" she knelt down beside him, not sure what to do. She was terrified when she saw the small drop of blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Let's get you back to the compound!" She attempted to help him up, but he resisted. "Come on Colonel, we have to go back." He curled up even more and began to cough, a spray of blood spurting out. Suddenly, he put his hand up to his mouth and continued to cough. Finally, he stilled. He lay there for a second, not moving.

Pulling his hand away he glanced down. Not sure what was happening, Sam followed his glance and saw that he was holding something. Confused, she reached out.

"What is it?"

Jack coughed again. "I think it's the device", he panted. "The Jaffa must have dislodged it when he hit me." He began to sit up although he was still shaky. He wiped his face, only managing to smear the blood.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God – maybe it had only been the pain from the device coming out that had affected him rather than it activating. It may have done some damage, as evidenced by the blood, but hopefully it was minor.

"Are you okay Sir?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just remind me to never swallow little torture devices again. I much prefer Chinese!"

"Will do Sir." She put her arm down and helped him to stand. He staggered slightly but was then able to straighten up. He looked terrible – pale with dark streaks of blood across his face – but he was alive!

"Let's get out of here Major, before they come and find us."

"Yes Sir." She moved to the pilot's seat and quickly looked at the controls. This ship was different from any she'd flown before. It was some kind of transport, but slightly larger than they were used to.

While she did that Jack walked over to the bodies of the three Jaffa. With a grimace, but knowing it was necessary, he stripped the shortest of the three of his tunic and leather pants. He also grabbed the chest plate but left the rest of the armor. He didn't relish wearing a dead man's clothes, but it was better than prancing around with a blanket that had a tendency to fall off! He quickly donned the clothes, which were a bit big, but helped his modestly tremendously. He then took his zat and quickly got rid of the bodies.

"Figured it out yet?" he asked Sam calmly, as if their lives didn't depend on her being able to fly this thing out of here.

"I think so but I'm not sure. The controls are a little different. I just want to make sure there isn't some kind of booby trap!"

"Yeah – bin there, done that – it's not fun."

"No Sir", she said, not really paying attention to him. "There, I think that's it. Buckle up Colonel – I think we can go."

"Is there a cloaking device?"

"There may be but I haven't found it yet. I think we'll have to take out chances for now. I'll keep looking."

A couple of minutes letter the vessel began to lift. With a slight adjustment of the controls they were soon heading away from the field and the planet. Jack glanced down through the window and saw the compound. So far things looked quiet although he expected that would change.

Almost immediately they were too high to see what was happening on the ground. Sam hoped that there were no planetary attack weapons or tracking. She didn't think so, based on what she'd seen on the planet, but you could never be sure with a Goa'uld.

Sam glanced over at Jack who had taken the seat beside her (possibly the co-pilot's seat she thought). He looked so ill and she noticed he'd started to shiver again. Damn, they should have brought some blankets.

She looked around to see if she could see any kind of heating controls.

"Colonel – why don't you see if you can find any blankets? You're looking cold."

"Yeah – I'll check." He got up to look when he heard a sudden gasp. Turning quickly he saw Sam making some quick adjustments on the vessel. They suddenly turned a complete 180.

"What is it?" Sam didn't say a word, just pointed to the porthole in the side of the spacecraft. He walked over and looked out.

"Damn! Let's hightail it out of here!"

"That's what I'm trying to do Sir."

"Do you think we were seen?"

"I don't think so, not yet, but it won't be long unless we can put the planet between us and them." While she was speaking she was doing something to the controls. He figured she was trying to speed them up.

"Just our luck. Who do ya think it is?" He knew that she would have no way of knowing but asking Carter, and hoping she'd have the answer to save them all, had become a habit over the years.

"No idea Sir – but whoever it is, it's bad."

"Ya think?" he answered softly, as he stared at the Goa'uld Mothership moving towards the planet.

**Ba'al's Mothership**

The klaxons had been going off for a while, telling everyone to get to their battle stations. Daniel had quickly gotten Teal'c's armor together along with his weapons. He'd put on his own small metal breastplate and head covering that Teal'c had scrounged for him. It wasn't unheard of, but was considered unusual, for a slave to accompany his master into battle. Most of the Jaffa already saw Teal'c – or Tro'han' – as being slightly odd; most likely as a result of his time on Shayan. So, few said anything when D'nor followed his master to the ring room.

They were, however, surprised when they saw Kraneas following Gro'Mal. The Jaffa was more what they were used to; big, gruff and tough. For him to bring his slave was a surprise!

Jak'tral was also among the same group that was preparing to ring down to the planet. Besides that there were two other Jaffa whom Daniel had not met before. He wasn't quite sure what was going to happen once they got to the planet. He would simply follow Teal'c's lead.

"All right – you next." The Jaffa responsible for transporting the soldiers pointed to their group. When they had arrived on the planet they quickly headed to join the other soldiers who were standing in large groups.

"What now?" whispered Daniel.

"We wait and watch", answered Teal'c. "We will stay with Ba'al's forces until it is propitious to leave."

It took another hour for all the forces to get to the planet. All in all there must have been a few hundred Jaffa. It wasn't a terribly large force although the word was that Matsya didn't have very many Jaffa at all. Everyone expected it would be a short battle.

The last ring transporter arrived. Daniel glanced up casually, expecting more Jaffa. Instead, the person arriving was one slimy, evil Goa'uld that SG1 new well, accompanied by his First Prime and special guards.

"Shit!" murmured Daniel in an undertone. He glanced at Teal'c and both began to inch their way back into the crowd. The last thing they needed was to be discovered.

"Loyal Jaffa!" shouted Ba'al (the creepy devil!). We are here to take what rightfully belongs to your God! Lord Matsya has tried to withhold my greatest enemy. Today we will take, not only that enemy, but all that is Matsya's as just do for his betrayal."

With those few words, and following a rousing cheer from the Jaffa, Ba'al returned to his ship.

"I see the 'god' isn't going to chance going into battle!"

"Shhhh!" Teal'c looked around, knowing that to be overheard could mean death.

The soldiers were instructed to get into position and they began their march to Matsya's compound.

**Jack and Sam**

Sam had quickly brought down the transport ship, as far away from the arriving Jaffa as she could. Without shields they could never have hoped to escape from the Mothership. Even more, however, they were afraid of what was going to happen to the women and children on the planet. As far as Matsya and his men were concerned, well good riddance, thought Jack.

"Okay Major, let's go see what we can see." Jack wished he'd kept more of the Jaffa's armor than just the breastplate. He could have tried sneaking into the compound. As it was they were just going to have to watch from a distance.

He left the vessel and had walked a few steps before he realized that Sam wasn't following. He turned back.

"Carter, come on." Poking his head into the ship he saw her on the floor on her hands and knees. Her head was bowed.

"Carter! Sam – what's wrong?" He hurried over and squatted down beside her. She lifted her head, carefully, and he could see she was pale and sweaty.

"What is it?"

"Feeling sick again Sir!"

"Damn. Come here." He gently pulled her over until she was able to sit and lean against him. She closed her eyes and sat very still until the nausea had passed. He could hear her take a few deep breaths until finally she was able to sit up.

"Feelin' better?" he asked gently. He was really starting to worry about this.

"Yeah, I think so. Just give me another couple of seconds and I think I'll be okay."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I stood up quickly to follow you and felt dizzy and sick. I probably just stood up too fast."

"That's probably it", he replied, more to make her feel better than because he actually believed it. She still looked pale although a tinge of color had reappeared in her cheeks.

"I'm good to go Colonel."

"Okay". He stood and reached down, helping her to her feet. "Just make sure and tell me if you start feeling bad again."

"I will Sir, as soon as you are honest with me about how you're doing." He looked at her in some surprise but, as he met her eye, nodded slightly. She was right – they needed to be honest with each other. There were in an extremely precarious situation and they had to be able to rely on one another.

"How _are_ you Sir?" He too was pale and she could see that he kept experiencing intermittent shivers.

"I'm fi-", he stopped when she raised her eyebrow. "Okay, I feel like crap but it doesn't matter – we still have to go."

"Can you make it Colonel?"

"If you can Major, then so can I." They looked at each other and finally turned together and headed out into the forest.

They worked their way as close to the compound as they could, watching all the while for any Jaffa – from either side. Looking in to the fenced-in area, they could only see a handful of Matsya's Jaffa, there were no women or children to be seen.

"Looks like they're keeping everyone indoors", murmured Sam.

"Maybe – I wonder though. Surely Matzo ball had a plan in case of attack. That fence isn't going to keep any of Ba'al's guys out and the buildings aren't very secure."

"Do you think he has some kind of secret defense weapon?"

"Either that or a quick escape route." As they watched, things remained quiet in the compound. Soon, however, they could see movement in the forest beyond. A couple of minutes later they could see Ba'al's army approach.

His men quickly surrounded the compound. The First Prime stepped forward and called out.

"I come in the name of my Lord Ba'al – mightiest of the gods. You are to open and allow us to enter so that you may worship him." There was silence. From their vantage point, Jack and Sam could see the door open to D'jindra's small house. He walked out, followed by the two priests.

The three men walked forward and then gestured to one of the Jaffa who proceeded to the gate and opened it. Instantly, Ba'al's Jaffa swarmed into the compound. Under orders from their superiors, many of the soldiers began to knock down doors and search the buildings.

It became clear, very quickly, that there was no one there. All the slaves, women and children, and the 'breeding' humans were gone, as was Matsya.

When all the Jaffa had returned, Ba'al's First Prime walked up to D'jindra, who was standing under guard.

"Where are Lord Matsya and the others?"

"There is only myself and our priests here. There is no one else." The First Prime reached out and struck D'jindra across the face, knocking him to the ground.

Sam could feel Jack react beside her. She glanced over and saw a small grin on his face. He turned and looked at her and she grinned back. Yup – if there was anyone who deserved to be hit it was the little sadist.

They both turned back to watch. D'jindra was hauled to his feet and then was struck again. This time he lay still on the ground. The First Prime then turned his attention on the two priests who were dragged forward.

As the drama was occurring below Jack's eyes wandered into the crowd of Ba'al's Jaffa. Suddenly he gasped, a small sound, and grabbed Sam's arm.

"What is it Sir?"

"Look – does that look like someone you know?" He pointed to one of the Jaffa, whose head was covered. She squinted, trying to see if she could identify the person.

She couldn't tell if it was someone she knew or not but, as she stared, she happened to glance at the slightly shorter man to his side. As she looked she saw him wrap his arms around his chest in a gesture she knew well. Her eyes grew big and she shifted her vision back to the larger man.

"Oh my God – it's Daniel and Teal'c."

"I thought so!" She could hear the excitement in Jack's voice. Suddenly, things were looking up.

"But what the heck are they doing with Ba'al's army?"

"I don't know and frankly my dear, I don't give a damn!" She turned to Jack and rolled her eyes. She could tell that seeing their friends had helped his mood tremendously if he was now quoting old movies. "The issue is how to contact them. We can't very well waltz in and say hi."

"We can assume they're here to find us, Sir, so I expect they'll be on the look out. If one of them leaves the camp we can contact him."

"Mmm hmmm. We'll take turns on watch. Why don't you try and get some rest for now. I'll keep my eyes open."

She looked at him closely, noticing that he continued to look as if he could collapse any minute. The shivering continued to get worse. But he also had a look which said 'don't push it Major'. She knew she wasn't going to change his mind so she just nodded.

"Okay Sir, although I'd like to watch for a few more minutes and then I'll rest." He nodded and they both turned back to look into Matsya's enclosure.

As they continued to watch, both wondering how their friends had managed to make it here with Ba'al, they saw a Jaffa lift his staff weapon and fire at one of the priests who dropped, most likely dead.

"They mean business." Sam whispered. "I wonder where everyone is? They couldn't have had time to get them to a ship. There must be some kind of secret passage or chamber or something."

As they spoke D'jindra and the remaining priest were dragged into the little house that had been the torturer's. He was about to experience what he had inflicted on so many others.

Ba'al's Jaffa were given instructions and they began to fall out in groups to set up small camps. Some were posted as guards and others took charge of the few who remaining enemy Jaffa.

Jack and Sam watched carefully, keeping their eyes on Daniel and Teal'c. Eventually, when it was obvious the two friends were simply going to set up camp for now Sam decided to close her eyes and rest. She still felt nauseated and somewhat dizzy. It didn't seem too serious but she was so tired that the thought of sleep pulled her in. Within moments she was sound asleep.

Jack kept his eyes pretty much focused on the Jaffa camps, particularly that of Daniel and Teal'c, but couldn't resist stealing short glances at the woman sleeping beside him. It was only at these moments that he allowed his own expression to become completely unguarded and to show the love and longing he felt. He hoped they would get out of this mess although it was still iffy at best. He had accepted the fact that he probably didn't have much time left, but he was going to do everything in his power to ensure Sam and Daniel and Teal'c made it home.

The two men he was thinking about were, at that moment, sitting outside their tent, eating some of their few rations, as night grew near. The other Jaffa in their party were either resting or were off with some others. Jak'tral had gotten himself into a quiet game with some of the Jaffa. It was their form of poker. Gro'Mal had grunted at them and entered his tent. His slave was off cooking in the central cooking area.

Things were pretty quiet – discipline was tight – but they could hear the odd voice or laugh from around them. They had also heard the screams of either, or perhaps both, of the men who had been taken by the Jaffa. Daniel found it hard to listen to although Teal'c appeared stoic.

"God, I hate that. How can you bear to listen Teal'c?"

"I do not have a choice, Daniel Jackson. I try to not think about it."

"What do you think happened to the people on the planet? Do you think Jack and Sam are with them?"

"I do not know what has happened. The men who are being tortured may reveal where they are. As to O'Neill I would assume he is still being held captive. I do not know about Major Carter and I do not care. I assume she is with Matsya."

"Crap Teal'c, you're a hard ass! I bet they're together. I still think you're mistaken about Sam."

"I do not believe so and I warn you not to be tricked by her. It could mean all our deaths."

Daniel sat quiet, again confused. What if what Teal'c said was right? What if Sam was behind this? After some intense internal dialogue he decided his best course of action was to assume she was guilty. She still needed a chance to defend herself however.

"Okay Teal'c, I'll watch out for her but only under the condition you promise not to hurt her. We have to prove her guilt or innocence. Do you promise?"

This time it was Teal'c's turn to be silent. Finally he turned to Daniel. "As long as she does not attempt to hurt one of us I will not hurt her. With that you will have to be satisfied."

Daniel didn't like it, but he agreed. He just hoped that Teal'c wouldn't see any little move on Sam's part as an attempt to hurt them.

They sat for a while longer until the sun had gone down. The screams had stopped. Either the men were dead or unconscious or their torturers were taking a break.

Teal'c stood up and looked down at Daniel. "I wish to go for a walk. Do you want to accompany me?"

"Uh, no. I think I'll just stay here."

"I suggest you come Daniel Jackson. You may not be safe alone."

"Really?" Daniel looked around nervously. He still had nightmares about that last episode. "Okay, I guess I'll come. Where are we going?"

"I will just see if we can walk the perimeter." He walked over to one of the most senior officers who stood near one side of the fence.

"What do you want Jaffa?" the officer asked. It was as he spoke that they realized he was not Jaffa but was a Goa'uld. He must be a minor one in the service of Ba'al, Daniel realized. They'd better be careful or they could be recognized.

"My Lord. I am simply wishing to take a walk but wanted to find out from you if that was acceptable. This is my slave, I bring him to clear my path if I have need." Daniel was keeping his head carefully lowered. He was impressed with Teal'c who didn't sound in the slightest nervous.

"Why do you wish to go for a walk? Do you not have a camp to sit at?"

"Yes My Lord. I simply find that when I am in a ship for a number of days I then have need for fresh air and exercise to keep myself ready for battle."

"Hmmm. I know what you mean. I hate traveling by ship." He stopped and looked frightened for a moment. "But of course, My Lord's ship is fine. It is the best in the galaxy."

"Indeed. My Lord Ba'al is a great and powerful god and it is an honor to serve him. He must have great confidence in you to place you in charge of such an important endeavor."

Oh yes, thought Daniel, stroke his ego. That's definitely the way to a Goa'uld's heart – no, wait, they don't have hearts! Okay, that's the way to get on their good si – no, they don't have a good side either! Oh hell – just suck up to em Teal'c.

"Yes, he knows I am his most loyal servant - as it appears are you. Go for your walk but watch yourself. If you see anything suspicious report back to me immediately."

"I will My Lord and thank you. You are most generous." With a bow he began to walk towards the gate, a quick 'come slave' tossed over his shoulder.

They passed a number of guards but Teal'c simply told them they had permission from the commander to leave. Once they were out of the compound they began a leisurely stroll around the perimeter. It was only once they'd reached an area where they could no longer be seen that Teal'c grabbed his arm and pulled him into the forest.

"Whatcha do that for Teal'c?", whispered Daniel.

"Now we will see if we can find O'Neill. If he is here he will attempt to contact us but we must hurry. We do not have long before they will grown suspicious."

The two members of SG1 walked as quietly and quickly as possible through the forest, watching carefully to see if they could see anything. At one point Daniel stumbled over a hidden branch and fell slightly behind. As he attempted to move forward an arm abruptly reached out and grabbed him from behind – a hand pressed tightly over his mouth.

"Hmmmph!" he tried to scream but a garbled groan was all he could manage.

"Daniel Jackson?" he heard Teal'c whisper in a fierce undertone.

"Tell him to be quiet Daniel. We don't want to wake up any sleeping Goa'uld." The hand was silently removed from his face.

"Jack!" Daniel swiftly turned and looked at his friend. Just then Teal'c came rushing back, his staff weapon held at the ready.

"Whoa Teal'c, don't shoot. It's me."

Teal'c lowered the weapon and bowed his head. "O'Neill, it is good to see you."

"Backatcha Teal'c, Daniel. Where the hell did you guys come from?"

"We've come with Ba'al's forces. We've been pretending to be Jaffa in his service – well, Teal'c has been pretending to be Jaffa. Yours truly is a lowly slave. God Jack, it's so glad to see you. Are you all right?" As he said this Daniel tried to look at his friend but couldn't see much in the moonlight. What little he saw didn't look good.

"Uh Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" He noticed Jack start to shiver.

"I'm fine Daniel, just a little chilly. Come on."

"What about Sam?"

"She's here Daniel. Let's go, I left her just up the hill there. We've been watching what's happening and were trying to figure out how to contact you guys."

As he turned to walk to where he'd left Sam, an arm suddenly shot out and stopped him.

"O'Neill, there is something I must tell you."

"What is it Teal'c?" Jack looked in concern at his friend. Something sounded off.

"It is about Samantha Carter. We discovered that she was behind your capture."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Jack was confused.

"She was working in association with the Goa'uld Matsya. It is she who is responsible for your capture. She is evil O'Neill. We must restrain her."

"What! What the hell have you been smoking Teal'c? Sam, in league with a Goa'uld? Okay, either you're pulling my leg or you're not the Teal'c I know. Sam is no more 'evil' than a, than a – hell than I don't know what. She's the best damn person I know. Daniel, what the hell is this about?" As he spoke Jack became steadily more furious. He looked over to the younger man who simply wore a very confused expression of his own.

"I don't know Jack. Teal'c is sure she's bad and sometimes I think he's right. When we were on the planet where you were kidnapped it was like a revelation came to us. We suddenly realized that women were bad news, that they were the ones responsible for the bad stuff that was happening. After I was hurt I wasn't so sure; now I'm just confused."

"What? Oh god, you're turned into the men of that planet, haven't you? There must be something there, some virus or something, that makes this happen. And what's this about being hurt Danny?"

"Later Jack. Right now we don't have a lot of time."

"Yeah right." Looking at Teal'c he spoke again, this time in his 'Commanders' voice. "We're gonna go get Carter now and you'd better restrain _yourself_. She is not the enemy, do you get that Teal'c?" He looked at the big man who simply stared back at him. Great, thought O'Neill, this is all we need. He turned and headed towards the small clearing where Sam was waiting.

"Major." He called softly. "I'm bringing back some guests." He heard only silence. Good Sam, be careful. He walked into the clearing, closely followed by Daniel and Teal'c. Of Sam there was no sight. "Sam", he called again. At that moment there was a small sound and he saw Sam come out from behind one of the trees at the far side of the clearing. She had her zat drawn, making sure that Jack was okay. He started to walk towards her when he saw a small movement out of the corner of his eye. He glanced swiftly to his left just as Teal'c lifted his staff weapon and primed it. With a "nooooooo" Jack jumped in front of Teal'c, just as the Jaffa shot towards Sam.

Jack felt the blow from the blast, which knocked him clear across the clearing. He lay stunned as both Daniel and Sam ran over and kneeled down beside him. The pain had not yet hit. Looking up at Daniel, he weakly raised his hand and grasped the younger man's shirt.

"Look after …. Sam." Those were his last words as blackness claimed him.


	21. Faith, No Hope

_**Just a short chapter tonight folks. Sorry – didn't really have time but didn't want to leave you all hanging (at least with that chapter!) Enjoy.**_

"Jack!" Sam screamed, running towards the fallen man. What was going on? Why had Teal'c tried to shoot her? Before she had a chance to get to the Colonel she was grabbed and held.

"Teal'c, let me go. What are you doing? Jack is hurt." She struggled, desperately trying to get free.

"No, you will not harm him." Teal'c answered.

"Harm him? You're the one who harmed him, not me."

"It was because of you that he is injured. If it had not been for you he would not be lying hurt or killed."

"Well he _**is**_ lying hurt so I suggest you two move out of my way." Daniel rushed past Sam and went to check on his friend. He'd been worried that something like this would happen.

He bent over Jack, who wasn't moving. Oh God, what if he were dead? Daniel reached down with a shaking hand and touched O'Neill's neck. After a couple of seconds he could feel a pulse – too slow – but there.

He looked up at Sam and Teal'c, both looking at him with fear in their eyes. "He's alive. Sam, help me check him out. I don't know how badly he's been hurt." He looked down again, trying to determine how serious the wound was.

Sam tried to pull away but Teal'c held her fast. "Teal'c, let me go."

"No, you will not hurt him."

"For God's sake Teal'c, let her go!" Daniel shouted. He'd had enough of this. "She's the one who knows first aid. She's not going to hurt him because I'm right here. You can watch her too but just let her go!"

Reluctantly, with suspicion in his eyes, the Jaffa released his former friend and colleague who instantly ran to Jack. Kneeling she began to check him to see where, and how bad, the wound was.

It was difficult to tell in the moonlight; she wished she had a flashlight. No, cancel that, she thought. If she was going to wish it would be that this was nothing more than a nightmare and that they were all home playing cards or watching a moving at Jack's house.

"Daniel, help me remove his vest. I can't see what's wrong." Together, the two of them removed the Jaffa breastplate. Once she'd thrown it to the side she leaned down and tried to examine the Colonel. She could feel the wet stickiness on his chest and knew that he was bleeding. How badly it was impossible to tell.

"Damn! I can't see. How am I supposed to help him when I don't even know what's wrong." Almost instantly a light flared beside her. Glancing up she could see Teal'c holding some kind of lit torch. The glitter from his eyes was fierce, but at least he was helping.

"Thank you."

"I do it to help O'Neill." He answered without emotion.

Ignoring him she returned to the Colonel. She could now see blood slowly oozing from the wound in his side. Because it was a staff wound there was less blood than if he had been shot as staff weapons tended to cauterize the blood vessels. Although that was good, the problem was it caused deep burns, which were incredibly painful and incredibly dangerous.

"I need some water. I have to clean this up and cool it down."

"How bad is it?" Daniel asked.

"It could have been worse. It looks like his armor helped and that he didn't receive the full blast. I don't think anything vital was hit but it's still dangerous. It can easily get infected and he wasn't in great shape to begin with."

"Why, what –"

"Daniel – we can talk later. Right now I need water and bandages. We have a craft hidden 500 meters or so from here. If you both can help get the Colonel back I expect there are supplies there."

"Okay. Teal'c, can you help me carry him? Let's get going." Daniel stood and beckoned his friend over. Still watching Sam carefully, Teal'c walked over and helped lift the Colonel.

"How do we know she is telling the truth Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c asked. "This may be a trick to get us to go to her master."

"Oh, for god sakes Teal'c, what the hell is wrong with you? I haven't hurt the Colonel and I'm not in league with a Goa'uld or anyone else for that matter. The Colonel is my friend and right now, all I'm concerned about is helping him. Come on." She turned and started to lead the way through the forest. After a slight pause Teal'c and Daniel followed, holding O'Neill between them.

It seemed to take forever but they finally arrived at the vessel. After checking to make sure the way was clear, Sam led the rest of her team into the spacecraft and indicated that they should lay Jack on the floor.

She immediately knelt beside him and checked his wound again. Feeling his forehead she looked worried and, turning to Teal'c, she spoke. "Do you recognize this vessel? I've never seen one before and we didn't have time to check everything out. Can you find where they keep the supplies?"

Teal'c didn't answer but turned instead to Daniel. "Watch her carefully. I shall get the needed items." He then walked back into the vessel, leaving the others in the main cabin.

"What's wrong with him Daniel? Why is he acting this way?" Daniel looked at her closely, still feeling unsure of what he should be thinking and feeling.

"Uh – we discovered on the planet – you know P8V 359 – that women are uh – you know – bad."

"WHAT!"

"Well, it seemed right at the time. It felt like a revelation, that women were the ones responsible for evil in the world. That's when we figured out that you had betrayed Jack and got him kidnapped. It seems – seemed true Sam. I'm still not … quite sure." He looked uncomfortable.

"Are you telling me that you actually believed this crap?"

"Well, maybe it's true!" he defended angrily.

"True? You've known me for how long Daniel? Have I ever betrayed any of our team – or anyone from our planet for that matter? How could you believe that even for a second? I thought you were my friend." The last words ended on a sob. She'd been so thrilled to see her friends, thinking that finally they were going to be okay and now, everything was turned upside down.

She felt even more exhausted and sick than she had before. She could also feel herself getting weaker. She didn't know if it was worry, or the walk through the forest, or the anger she felt at her friends, but she started to feel as if she were going to pass out.

"Daniel." She groaned as she began to fall over.

"Sam!" He rushed over and grabbed her just before her head hit the floor. Now what was wrong? Just then Teal'c returned, his arms full of supplies. Seeing Daniel so close to Major Carter, he quickly dropped everything and ran over.

"What did she do Daniel Jackson?"

"She didn't do anything Teal'c. She just passed out." Looking back at Sam he began to gently slap her cheeks. "Come on Sam, wake up. We have to help Jack." After a couple of more slaps she started to regain consciousness.

"Wha' ?" she muttered.

"Come on Sam. Let's help Jack." Pulling her to a sitting position he watched as she gathered herself together. She was incredibly pale and, for the first time, Daniel realized there was something wrong with Sam as well.

"Here, I'll help." He reached over and took the supplies, pulling things out as best he could. There was not a lot as Jaffa didn't require much in the way of first aid but at least there were some bandages. Teal'c had also brought a pitcher filled with water.

Sam took the preferred items and began to tenderly dress the wound. She poured water over it, not only to clean it but also to try and cool the flesh. She again felt Jack's forehead. Sighing she then began to bandage the wound.

"How is he?" Daniel was looking down at his friend, noticing how incredibly pale and thin he looked. This was more than just this recent wound. Jack had been wounded or ill before this happened.

"I think he's okay for now but he wasn't well to begin with." As she finished with the bandages she took some of the blankets and tucked them around the Colonel. She then took another folded one and placed it under his head.

"You said that before. What was wrong?"

"I don't know. He was tortured but then he seemed to be okay. But then, just in the last few days, he's developed some kind of sickness. He's cold all the time – so cold he can barely talk or walk for the shivering. He's weak and I know feels awful, although he doesn't say much."

"Of course not." Daniel muttered. "He'd be dying and he still would say nothing."

"I just wish I could figure it out. I don't know what's wrong but he's not getting better. I'm so scared Daniel. I don't know what to do!" Daniel reached over and hugged her, trying to offer some support. He glanced up and saw Teal'c glaring at him. Great, now he was probably under suspicion as well.

Just at that moment they heard a soft groan and looked down. Jack was beginning to come around.

He slowly opened his eyes. It took him a bit before his eyes focused but then he saw his three closest friends in the universe all looking down at him. He closed his eyes, feeling that everything was right with the world. Sam was beside him as was Daniel, Teal'c was standing to the side, glaring at - ! What? Why was Teal'c glaring? He opened his eyes and looked at his large friend again. Suddenly, it came back to him – Sam walking towards him, Teal'c lifting his staff weapon and then firing, him jumping in front – oh crap!

"Teal'c", he gasped. "What the hell did you do?" He looked over at his friend. Why would he try and shoot Carter?

"I was trying to protect you O'Neill."

"Protect me? From what?"

"It was from whom, O'Neill. I was trying to protect you from Major Carter."

He groaned in remembrance. That damn planet. Somehow Teal'c had been infected with that woman-hating virus. Hey, he suddenly thought, what about Daniel?

"Daniel?" He turned to the younger man. "You too?"

"Uh, I'm not sure Jack. I'm pretty sure Sam is okay but I figure we'd better be careful."

"I heard that Daniel!" Sam then moved closer to Jack. "Sir, are you all right?"

"Fi-

"Don't say it!"

"Okay, my side is killing me and I feel like I want to puke. That better Major?" He really was hurting. It was strange, he thought. His side felt like it was on fire and the rest of him felt like it was frozen. Frozen fire! Great!

Sam leaned down and gently stroked his forehead, moving the hair from his eyes and trying to offer comfort. He allowed himself to drift, relishing the feeling of her touch.

"I'm sorry Sir. I don't have any painkillers but you're going to be okay. The wound wasn't too bad."

"Good" he murmured. He felt so tired; all he wanted to do was to drift off to sleep.

"So Jack" a faint voice reached him in his dreamlike state. "What should we do now?"

Hmmmm, he thought. Do? How about we all just rest awhile. Carter can curl up beside me and snuggle and the rest of you can go away. How's that?

There was a strange, and profound silence that suddenly filled the spacecraft. Jack, his eyes still closed, tried to figure out what was causing it. It was only when he opened them and looked up at his friends that he realized what he'd done. Sam's face was bright red and she wouldn't meet his eyes. Daniel looked surprised, a little shocked and a little pleased. Teal'c just looked angry. Shit, he'd just said that out loud, hadn't he.

"Uh sorry. Just a little delirious." Damn, he'd have to watch himself.

"Okay Jack" Daniel answered a little hesitatingly. "So, what are we going to do?"

Teal'c was the first to answer. "They will be suspicious by now that we have not returned. They may have sent a search party out to find us."

"Damn! I totally forgot." Daniel turned to Jack. "We were just going for a short walk. The other Jaffa will wonder what's happened to us."

"How", Jack coughed which caused him to curl in on himself, the movement causing the pain from the burn to escalate. Sam held his hand tightly as he tried to breathe through the pain. When he'd finally calmed down he started again. "How did you get mixed up with Ba'al and what's happening at the SGC?"

This time Daniel looked plain guilty although Teal'c still looked angry. God, thought Jack, he is one pissed Jaffa today.

"Well, we uh kind of ran away from the SGC. We thought it was in the control of Janet and her women and we wanted to find you. We found out that Ba'al had heard about you and Sam and that he was planning to buy your – well, I mean we heard he might know where you were so we pretended to join in his service."

"Oh". Jack lay there for a moment, taking in Daniel's words. A small grin began to appear on his face. "Janet?" He then began to chuckle. "Ow, don't make me laugh. Are you telling me that you think itsy bitsy Doc Frasier is a criminal mastermind out to overthrow the men of the world? Oh God, don't tell me you actually believed this Daniel? And you Teal'c? How could you buy this? Don't you see that you've been infected by something? Don't you remember those men on that planet and how disgusting we all thought they were?" By the end of his speech he was gasping. He wasn't sure if it was the wound or the fact that his 'medicine' was beginning to wear off again.

"It does sound kind of crazy when you think about it Jack." Daniel was beginning to feel relieved. Maybe Sam was okay. What would they do about Teal'c though?

Jack must have been thinking the same thing because he turned to Teal'c and started to speak. "Look Teal'c, I get the fact that you're convinced Sam is evil. I can tell you for a fact it isn't true. I _**know**_ her" (he was never going to tell anyone how well) and I promise you that she is not only loyal to the SGC but to each one of us individually. I know you don't believe me but please, trust me? If you can't do that, after all these years, then you're not the man I know you are. Please, promise me you won't hurt Carter?"

Teal'c looked at him and then at the Major. His insides were boiling and it was not a larval Goa'uld who was causing the feeling – it was his confusion and uncertainty. His experience told him to trust his commander but his mind was telling him O'Neill had been tricked. He looked deep into the eyes of the one man, above all others, he had always trusted. Finally he nodded.

"I will not hurt Major Carter, but I will continue to observe her. When we return to earth I will demand an investigation."

"Fine", Jack was exhausted and lay back. He knew he was in an increasingly bad way.

He wasn't sure how much he had left of the stuff Martia had given him but he knew he needed it to keep going. Gingerly feeling around his waist, he found the pocket with the little bottle. He pulled it out but was too weak to continue.

"Sir, what's that?" Sam had seen his movements and the bottle. She hadn't seen it before.

"Medicine", he answered briefly. "Help me Major?" he tried handing her the bottle but was so weak he couldn't even lift his arm. She reached out and gently took it from him.

"Where did you get this Colonel?" she asked quietly.

"Martia. The other day. She told me it would help the symptoms."

"Did she also tell you what was wrong?"

When he didn't answer she asked the question again. She could tell he wasn't sleeping but he was refusing to speak. In frustration she reached down and touched his face.

"Please Jack. We promised to be honest with one another. What is it? What's wrong?"

His jaw clenched but he eventually opened his eyes and looked at her. With a small groan he began to talk.

"They poisoned me." He answered briefly. At her shocked look he reached out, with his last bit of strength, and took her hand. "I'm sorry Sam. I didn't want you to know."

"But why Sir? Why would they do that? They wanted you to – us to – why?"

"It was to make me, you know, 'Mai'thun' with you." He glanced over at Daniel and Teal'c but their confusion seemed to indicate they didn't know the word. He went on. "Martia explained that they had given me two substances together that they're never supposed to mix. I guess I made them kind of mad. Anyway, that's why I'm sick." He stopped, exhausted.

"Is this a cure?" Sam held up the bottle.

"No, it helps but she said it would stop working eventually."

"And then what?"

He still didn't speak.

"Sir! And then what will happen when it stops working."

He looked at her, feeling again that deep sense of love and longing. He only wished - . No O'Neill, no wishing, no regrets. Sighing he continued.

"And then I die."


	22. No Way

**_Sorry if everyone is getting frustrated at how long it's taking Jack and Sam to figure things out. Right now I want to deal with the adventure. I believe the relationship will have to wait until later! And for all of you wanting them to simply get on with it and Mai'thun (or should I say 'simply get it on and Mai'thun') - naughty, naughty! Just remember, good things come to those who wait!_**

"No way Daniel. It's not going to happen. I won't let it happen." She was angry, furious. Not just at what had been done to the Colonel but at the fact that he hadn't told her. Not that she could have done anything but still, she was sick of him trying to protect her all the time. She was not some child that needed to be coddled. She was a United States Air Force officer and she could handle the truth! Yes, she could … couldn't she? She looked at her friend, who stood silently watching her. With a sob she leaned forward. He reached out and put his arms around her and held her as she cried.

"He can't die Daniel. I can't lose him."

"I know. We'll do everything we can Sam. Janet can help, I'm sure of it. We'll just get him home and everything will be all right." He spoke confidently although if she had been looking at him she would have seen the fear and doubt in his eyes. If the Goa'uld didn't have a cure for their own poison, how could Janet come up with anything? He continued to hold Sam, knowing how much she had been through and how much she needed the comfort. And the truth was, so did he.

He glanced up and saw that Teal'c was watching them, his eyes black with some emotion Daniel couldn't read. He just knew it looked cold and frightening. His friend had said little since Jack's revelation. Daniel worried that somehow he would now accuse Sam of having some part in this as well. He knew he had to keep an eye on her and on Teal'c.

Jack was sleeping, finally. He had taken more of the medicine and it had seemed to help even though he was also in a lot of pain from the staff wound. The wound itself wasn't too bad and on it's own probably wouldn't have slowed him down too much (or he wouldn't have let it) but it now just added to his weakness. Daniel knew they had to get him home quickly.

Sam pulled away from him, wiping her eyes and face with her sleeve. Giving Daniel a small smile she turned and walked towards Jack. As soon as she moved Teal'c started and began to walk towards her, his intent unclear.

"Teal'c!" Daniel called. "Leave her be."

"But what if –"

"What if _**nothing**_! She's not going to hurt him Teal'c. She l-cares for him. Surely you can see that?"

The big man looked towards Sam, who was now sitting beside Jack and running her hands gently through his hair. For some reason, this seemed to calm the Colonel who turned his head into her caress.

With a sharp nod Teal'c backed away and went to the pilot's seat where he sat down. Daniel walked over and sat beside him.

"So, what are we going to do? We're definitely MIA now – they're going to be pretty upset."

"Yes, although they may believe we have been captured or killed. If they do not find this vessel it will not matter."

"Yeah, but that's what I'm afraid of. We can't take off until Ba'al's ship is gone and in the meantime we're sitting ducks."

"Yes, that is true." Daniel marveled at how well Teal'c had learned Earth expressions. A few year's ago he would have asked why Daniel was comparing them to 'seated waterfowl' or some such thing. "I believe I should return."

"What! No, you can't do that. They'd kill you."

"It is possible, but it is also possible that they will believe me if I tell them I was attacked by natives. I will say that you were killed and I will then lead them on a wild chicken chase." Okay, maybe his grasp of earth expressions wasn't perfect!

"I don't think that's such a good idea Teal'c. I think some of them are already suspicious of you. No, I think the best thing we can do is stay here until Ba'al leaves, hoping that they haven't found us, then we hot-foot it out of here."

"What about the prisoners?" a soft voice interjected. Both men turned and looked at Sam who was gazing back at them.

"We can't leave them here. There are innocent women and children – and probably men – here. I promised Martia we'd save her and her children."

"We do not know where they are. Do you know?" For the first time Teal'c said something to her that wasn't an accusation. Daniel looked over in surprise and could see that his Jaffa friend was uncomfortable, but was trying; probably in respect of Jack's words to him.

"No, I don't know either. J – ur the Colonel and I escaped on our own. Our plan was to head out and contact either Earth or the Tokra and see if we could come back and help those captured. Jack wasn't strong enough to do anything else right now."

"Speak for yourself Carter." A weak voice drifted up into their conversation. The three members of SG1 looked down at the sick man who had woken up. "Help me up", he instructed.

"No Sir, you need to rest."

"Why?"

"Because you're sick, Jack." Daniel scolded.

"Yeah and it's not like resting is going to help. Come on, help me – that's an order Carter!"

With a frustrated look at her commander she reached down and helped him get into a seated position. Groaning, he pushed himself back until he could lean against the bulkhead. He continued to shiver but at the same time there was a sheen of sweat on his face. She reached over and felt his forehead before he had the chance to stop her.

"Hey, stop that!" he muttered.

"Just checking Sir. You have a fever."

"Yeah? Go figure. I was hoping it would warm me up but it didn't work!" he answered, sounding like a petulant child. She knew that his 'whining' was often his way of dealing with pain and weakness and part of her wanted to grin, until she remembered that he was dying.

"Okay, status report!" Daniel stood up and walked over, then sat down facing Jack. He looked at Teal'c who waited and then followed suit. Now that they were sitting in a circle around Jack he asked again, "so, what's going on?"

Daniel and Teal'c explained the situation briefly. Jack's teammates could see him trying to concentrate, to come up with some solution, or at least a plan of action.

"Okay, so we need to get out of here and take the other captives with us, except we don't know where they are. This ship doesn't seem to have any shields so we can't leave until Ba'al does but he'll probably find us before then. Do I have it right?"

"Indeed O'Neill. That is the situation."

"Good. No, actually Crap – not good." He sat there trying to think but could come up with only one scenario which he knew his team would not like at all. He lifted his head and looked, with deep affection, at his three closest friends. This was going to be hard but he'd have to convince them.

As Daniel, Teal'c and Sam peered back at their friend and commander they could see the naked emotion in his eyes. If anything, this frightened them more than everything that had gone before. For O'Neill to be that open he must truly believe he was dying.

"Okay folks, here's the plan. And before I start I want to say that this is non-negotiable. It's the only way." His teammates looked at him suspiciously. They didn't like the sound of this.

"Teal'c, you and Daniel will take me back to the compound."

"What! No way Jack. There's no-"

"Daniel, shut up and let me speak. You and Teal'c will take me back to the compound. You'll tell Ba'al's Jaffa that you discovered my trail and followed me. Eventually you caught me, although you had to fire your staff weapon Teal'c, hence the wound. You'll then take me back as your trophy. You'll be seen as heroes so they won't kill you. Ba'al will have what he wants and Sam will still be safe."

"Like Daniel said Sir, no way!"

"Major!"

"No Sir. You can put me up on charges for disobeying a direct order. I don't care. I will not give you up to Ba'al."

"Nor will I, O'Neill."

He had known that this would be hard and he really didn't have the energy to argue, but he had to get his point across.

"Look guys, there's no other way. You know Ba'al is going to have his soldiers search until they find something – which is gonna be us. This way we have a chance."

"You're kidding right? Why would we have a chance if you've been captured and we're back with the Jaffa?"

"Because we'll have our ace in the hole." As his friends looked at him blankly he sighed. God, he was supposed to be the one who was out of it here. "Sam!"

"What?"

"Look guys, I'm history anyway right? I'm getting weaker all the time. I don't think it will be long before this medicine stops working. With Ba'al I might have a chance. He isn't going to want me to die so he'll put me in the sarcophagus which might just save my life." Sam looked up in shock. She knew how much Jack abhorred the idea of the sarcophagus after what he'd been through. And, to put himself back in Ba'al's hands – that was true courage talking.

"I do not believe it will O'Neill. Goa'uld poisons often work in such a way that as soon as you're out of the sarcophagus they will begin to take affect again."

Jack sighed. Somehow he figured that. He was sure that if it worked they would have used it on him at Matsya's – or at least Martia wouldn't have worried about him dying.

"Yeah, maybe. But it should help for a while, right?"

Teal'c nodded. "Yes, each time you go in it will be as if you had just taken the poison. I do not know how long it takes to start to work."

"Neither do I but I should have some time anyway. All I was going to say was that Sam can then work out a way to get all our butts out of here. By that time maybe she'll figure out the shields or she can move in and blow up Ba'al's ship or something."

"Or something! Sir, I don't think I have the ammunition or the resources to do that on my own."

"No, but you'll think of something Carter. I know you. And remember, you'll have Daniel and Teal'c to help. They'll be three of you."

"Possibly five."

"Five?"

"Yes, we think the Tokra made contact with us."

"You _**think?**_"

"Well, we had to be careful Jack and so do they. There's one Jaffa – or at least he's pretending to be a Jaffa – who seemed to know we were from earth."

"How did he know? Did he recognize you?"

"Uh, I think it may have been Teal'c's reference to Shayan."

"Cheyenne? You talked about Cheyenne?" Jack looked upset at this and Teal'c looked slightly uncomfortable - which was pretty unusual in itself.

"Yeah, and Yosemite Sam and Disney. Even told them about Wile E Coyote." Dead silence greeted this as both Jack and Sam tried to digest this news.

"You told them about **Wile E Coyote?** What the heck were you thinking Teal'c?"

"They do not know of the references O'Neill, and it did serve to let the Tokra know we were there."

"Yeah, there's that." Jack was again silent. Suddenly, a small grin began to appear on his face. That was quickly followed by a chuckle, which moved directly into laughter. Soon, Jack was bent over in fits of laughter.

"Ow! That hurts!" but he couldn't stop laughing. The next thing you knew, Sam was grinning, then snorting, then laughing. In a minute all three of the humans were practically rolling on the ground with only Teal'c, the instigator, looking serious. If one were to look closely, however, one could see a small crinkling of Teal'c's eyes and the tiny upward curl of his lips.

"Ooooh, that really hurts!" Jack laughed again. As painful as it was, it had been a long time since he'd enjoyed anything so much. As they all began to calm down he looked around and realized that this was just what they had needed.

Looking over at his large and usually somber friend, he smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. Teal'c nodded gravely in return.

"Okay, so we may have five. That's great. So see, this is gonna work. We'll refine it a bit but by tomorrow we should be able to go home."

"That's kind of optimistic Jack."

"Hey", he leaned back and closed his eyes, exhausted now and ready to sleep, "I'm an optimistic kind of guy."

As everyone sat there contemplating the Colonel's plan, and trying to think of an alternative, Jack began to doze. He was woken suddenly when Sam cried,

"But it won't work!"

"Why not?" Jack asked annoyed at his 2IC.

"Because Ba'al is going to want to see the Jaffa who found you Sir. He'll know Teal'c right away and know it's a trick."

Damn, he hadn't thought of that. That really screwed his plans up royally.

"I think I may have a solution O'Neill." Teal'c spoke quietly. "I spoke with a Goa'uld before leaving. He is one of Ba'al's commanders. He is clearly looking for advancement in Ba'al's service. I could offer to let him be the one to take O'Neill to Ba'al."

"Why would you do that though? Won't this Goa'uld be suspicious?"

"It is possible but I think he will be too happy to take credit. I will simply say that my religious beliefs do not allow me to receive a reward for my duty. I will tell him that I would prefer for him to have the glory since he was the one with the wisdom to have allowed us to leave."

"He'd buy that crap?"

"Yes, in order to be rewarded by Ba'al. He would also understand that I was doing him a favor for which I would expect special treatment and honor in the future. Many soldiers know it is more important to please those directly above them in command rather than the gods who are known to be fickle. Many would, in fact, prefer not to come in contact directly with a god. It can be …. unhealthy."

"So this minor Goa'uld would trust this scenario then?" asked Daniel.

"I believe he would."

"Good. That's a wrap folks. We have a plan." O'Neill coughed and started to sag. He needed to lie down before he fell down.

"Here Sir, let me." Sam reached over and gently helped him lie down, this time with his head in her lap. Oh yeah, he remembered how much he liked this position. In the matter of a few seconds he was sound asleep, soothed by her warm presence.

"He's in a bad way." Daniel looked at the pale man. "Maybe this is the best solution."

"How can you say that Daniel? You know what Ba'al will do to him."

"Yeah, I know. So does Jack." They all looked at their oh so brave, oh so foolish commander. If there were any other way they wouldn't do this.

"We have to locate the other prisoners." Teal'c looked down at his sleeping friend, bothered by the fact that Major Carter was so close, but knowing there was nothing he could do. The bigger problem was that they were relying on her to help them escape. He was still too sure of her traitorous nature to believe she would help them.

"I've been thinking about that Teal'c. I'm sure there must be something in the compound, some escape route. There was no other way they could get away that quickly. We weren't gone that long before Ba'al's ship showed up. And I can't see any place, other than the forest, where you could hide that many people."

"Don't you think that Ba'al's soldiers will search the area?" asked Daniel.

"Oh yes, I'm sure they will, but they won't be certain there's anything there. They're more likely to think that the people all escaped in a ship or into the surrounding area. They don't know how long the people were gone before they arrived."

"Except they have the priests and some of Matsya's Jaffa."

"Yes, but he wouldn't have left them if he hadn't been sure they wouldn't give him away. I expect the Jaffa probably don't even know where the others are."

"Sam, you know what Goa'uld torture is like. They'll have to give up the information."

"Okay, maybe, maybe not. But if we get there sooner we can possibly divert them – or locate and free the prisoners."

"Do you know what you're going to do Sam?" Daniel looked at her. Like Jack, he always figured she'd figure out something. For one brief second Sam felt angry – angry that everyone always assumed she'd save the day. Closing her eyes she knew that this time, her very life and in fact, her soul depended on her doing that very thing!

"I'm going to see what I can use and modify from the ship. Teal'c, any information you can give me would be useful." She gently squirmed out from under Jack and, grabbing the blanket he'd been using as a pillow, she put it under his head. He didn't wake or even move.

Standing up she began to walk towards the ships controls. Before she had a chance to get there Teal'c reached out and grabbed her and began to swing her around.

"No, Major Carter, you will not harm him."

She'd reached her limit. She had officially had ENOUGH! Without a pause she allowed her body to move into the direction in which he was pulling her. Continuing into the movement, she raised her knee with all the strength and fury that was surging through her body. She gave a soft grunt of satisfaction when her knee connected very solidly with a tender part of male Jaffa anatomy.

The grunt Teal'c gave was neither soft nor satisfied. With a howl he dropped her arms and fell to the ground hands held protectively over his groin. Sam and Daniel both looked on in astonishment. They'd never seen Teal'c react quite like this before.

Wow, thought Sam, that must have been more powerful than I thought. It was when she heard Teal'c begin to retch that she began to feel a small bit of guilt. She just hoped she hadn't damaged him permanently.

When Teal'c at last raised his head and looked at her, tears streaming from his eyes, she stepped back and held up the zat. No way was she going to allow him to hurt her.

"It is all right Major", he said, still quite breathlessly. "I deserved that."

She looked at him suspiciously. She was not going to trust him, not now. "Get up Teal'c but don't come any closer." She watched as he got to his feet. He seemed to be feeling better. Must be junior, she thought. For some reason this made her giggle. Teal'c had 'two juniors', one of which had just been kneed to hell and back!

Daniel looked at her in astonishment. She was laughing? On the one hand, he couldn't blame her for what she'd done – on the other, the Sam he knew would have felt bad for having to hurt Teal'c like that. Daniel himself was feeling a little queasy. As a fellow male he felt incredible empathy for his friend.

It was then that he noticed that Sam's laughter had turned to tears. She had been dealing with too much for too long. He slowly walked over and, for the second time that day, took her in his arms. How could he have ever thought she was dangerous or evil? This was Sam, his friend and one of the kindest, most compassionate women he'd ever met. Looking up he saw Teal'c watching them. This time there was no anger and no hatred in his friend's eyes, there was only sadness and regret.

_**Thanks Saissa for the suggestion! I needed some way to bring Teal'c out of it and what better way than a good swift 'knee to the Jaffa jewels!'**_


	23. Come Back to Me

_**Sorry - teeny, tiny chapter but I had to end it at a natural spot. I'll try for another one this evening.**_

Sam had begun to search the ship for anything she could use against Ba'al. They had to find a way to keep the Colonel out of the Goa'uld's hands. As for the people on the planet, she would do what she could to help them but her first priority was her team.

Okay, maybe that wasn't the selfless thing to do – maybe she should put them first – but no, this time she had too much to lose. This time Ja- the Col – no **Jack** came first.

"Hey guys, watchya doin'?" Jack's faint voice could be heard over the bangs and clangs Daniel and Teal'c were making in their search for anything that would help Sam.

"O'Neill", Teal'c walked over and knelt down beside he friend. "How are you?"

"Just fine Teal'c. I had a good snooze and I'm rarin' to go." Contrary to his words, it was obvious that O'Neill was in a bad way. He tried to sit up on his own but flopped back down when it was clear he was not strong enough to get up.

"I am sorry O'Neill." The Jaffa looked down at his friend and guilt filled his soul.

"What for?"

"For shooting you. For being suspicious of Major Carter and for not protecting you and our team."

"Hey – I forgive you for shooting me but please, don't do it again. As for protecting the team – what do you think you're doing now. What happened on P – whatever – that wasn't your fault. As for Major Carter – do you still think she's guilty of betraying me?"

"I do not. There is still a part of me that wars with doubt but I know that to be false. I know that she is a good and honorable person."

Jack looked at him closely; wanting to make sure Teal'c was being honest. As his friend looked back at him he realized that the man was, indeed, telling the truth.

"I'm glad." He sighed and closed his eyes, exhausted by the short conversation. "When are we leaving?"

Teal'c looked at him for a few seconds, humbled by this man's courage. He knew they had little choice although he would have given his life to save him from further hurt. He knew that now O'Neill's only hope was indeed the sarcophagus.

"We are ready soon O'Neill."

"Good. Whatever happens Teal'c, watch out for Sam okay? I don't want anything to happen to her – to any of you."

"Do not worry my friend. I will guard her and Daniel Jackson with my life."

"I know you will Teal'c. I know you will." The two men were silent, nothing left to say. Soon Jack had fallen back asleep, or was unconscious – it didn't really matter which.

"How is he Teal'c?" Daniel had come up quietly behind his Jaffa friend.

"He is not doing well. We must leave soon."

"Yeah – I really don't like this."

"Nor do I. Daniel Jackson, I have been thinking. I believe it is best you remain here with Major Carter. You can be of more assistance to her. I will take O'Neill alone."

"But Teal'c, won't they be suspicious if I don't return?"

"I will simply tell them that O'Neill killed you and that I left you in the forest. They will not expect me to bring back the body of a slave."

"Not important enough I guess."

"No, not for a Jaffa or a Goa'uld."

"But what about you?"

"I will be fine. I will speak with Gro'Mal and see if he will assist me. Jak'tral may also be of some help."

"Watch them both Teal'c. You can't be too careful."

"This I know well Daniel Jackson. However sometimes one must trust."

Daniel laughed, "Teal'c, you've been hanging around me too long."

"Indeed, Daniel Jackson." He paused and looked at the archaeologist. "I have been most fortunate."

Touched, Daniel reached out and grasped Teal'c's shoulder. "Me too Teal'c."

"How is he?" Sam had finished scavenging parts and had returned to check on Jack. She looked at him and felt like crying.

"He is not well Samantha. We must leave."

Getting down on her knees beside him Sam reached out and gently touched his cheek. He didn't move, having succumbed to the pain and the frozen darkness.

"Take care of him for me."

"I will, do not fear." Teal'c gestured to Daniel. "We will wait outside Major Carter. I will return shortly to take O'Neill."

Sam didn't answer, her eyes fixed on the man she loved. It was only after the silence grew that she realized the two men had left her alone. She leaned forward and laid her cheek against Jack's. She sat there, totally still, allowing herself to feel only the love and tenderness that filled her.

"It's time Sam." Daniel's gentle voice brought her back to the present and to the reality of their horrible situation. She sat up and looked at him. Teal'c was there as well. Standing up she moved slightly away from Jack.

"I will watch over him Major Carter." Teal'c turned more fully to her and said, quietly. "Please forgive me for what I have done to you and to O'Neill. I owe you both my life and my freedom and I did not mean to repay you by hurting you. When this is over my life is yours should you wish to take it."

"Thank you Teal'c. I know you didn't do it intentionally. It wasn't your fault. Just make sure he's okay. And I don't need to take your life. I already let you have it and I think that's sufficient."

"Indeed!" She looked up at him, startled, and could see the slight grin on his face. With a laugh, that was half sob, she launched herself at the big man who had been such a dear friend. She threw her arms around him and hugged him for all she was worth. With only a slight bit of hesitation, coming from a remaining sense of guilt, he hugged her back. "I will bring him back safely!"

As Teal'c prepared for his return to the Jaffa camp Daniel watched as Sam once again knelt beside the Colonel. She leaned in and whispered something in his ear. She then got up and swiftly walked out of the command cabin and into the other room. She couldn't bear to see him taken for the journey back to Ba'al.

Daniel then watched as Teal'c went over and tenderly lifted his friend. It would be a long, hard walk. It was only as he turned to leave that Daniel glanced down at Jack. He was startled to see tears falling from the man's half open eyes.

Sam sat in the corner of the dark room, numb and silent. She did not allow herself to think or feel, knowing that that way was too much pain. She wanted to remember the feel of his skin against hers and the warmth of his breath as it gently caressed her cheek.

She only wished that he could have heard her last words to him. Why had she not told him before now? Why had she not told him when wrapped in his arms, during those few heady days of joy and passion? No, instead she had waited until he was unconscious and unable to hear her. Her cowardice had won out. So afraid of being hurt she had refused to open herself to him. Instead, she had waited until the last moment – maybe the last time she would ever see him alive. It was only then that she had leaned forward and told him. She had whispered words she should have said long before.

"I love you Jack, more than you'll ever know. Come back to me."


	24. Stupid as a Genius

By the time Teal'c neared the compound he was sweating. He was a strong man but Jack wasn't light, even though he had lost weight since he'd been captured.

Teal'c kept a close eye on his friend as he carried him, growing increasingly concerned as he drew nearer the camp. O'Neill appeared to get steadily weaker as they traveled. He was truly worried his friend would not make it.

"Who goes there?" A deep voice suddenly split the early morning air.

"It is I, Tro'han, servant of my Lord Ba'al. I come bearing a gift to my God." Teal'c had stopped and waited for the Jaffa to appear. Shortly, not one but three Jaffa moved out from behind the trees.

"Troh'an? There are many out looking for you. It is said you deserted our God."

"That is a lie. I went out for a walk and my slave and I happened upon this one." He indicated the man in his arms. "We followed him for many hours. He killed my slave but I was able to capture him and bring him as a gift to my Lord Ba'al."

One of the Jaffa walked over and took a look at the man held by this strange Jaffa.

"He is dead."

"No, he is not but he soon will be if we tarry much longer. Let us go to the compound."

"What difference does it make if he dies? He is just a human and not a young one at that. I do not think he will make a good slave."

"Fool!" Teal'c uttered sharply. "Do you not know that that is for our God to decide – not a lowly Jaffa. If it is too late and he dies I do not wish to be in your place."

The Jaffa began to seem worried although a stubborn look had appeared in his eyes. He didn't like being told what to do.

"If this one is important Lord Ba'al will simply raise him up."

"Not if we wait too long. Even Lord Ba'al cannot raise him if too long a time passes."

"He's right Ur'dun", one of the other Jaffa spoke for the first time. "I would not want to be in your place if Lord Ba'al is unhappy. Let us take this one to Lord Ka'treg – let him decide."

With luck this Lord Ka'treg was the Goa'uld Teal'c had spoken to last evening as he and Daniel had left. He hoped his plan would work.

The Jaffa turned and headed back towards the compound, two in front and one following behind, his staff weapon at the ready. They were not sure of Tro'han and were taking no chances.

They finally arrived and were taken directly to Ka'treg. They made Teal'c lay Jack down in the outer chamber of the small building the Goa'uld commander was using as his headquarters.

"What is this?" he asked upon seeing Teal'c. "Wait – you are the Jaffa who left last night. I see they captured you."

"No my Lord", answered Teal'c. "I did not run away. I have returned with a gift for Lord Ba'al."

"A gift? What kind of gift?"

"My slave and I came across a human who we believe escaped from here. He ran and we gave chase for many hours. We finally cornered him but he was able to kill my slave before I captured him. I believe he may be important to Lord Ba'al."

"You do? And I suppose you are hoping to receive honor and glory for capturing this one?"

"No my Lord. I would give that honor to you. It was you who were wise and fair in letting me leave. It was as a result of that decision that I was able to capture this one. I would ask that you be the one to present him as a gift to Lord Ba'al. I am just a lowly servant and ask only the privilege of serving you and through you our God."

The minor Goa'uld looked startled, and then pleased, by the opportunity to do something for Ba'al. There was no surer way to advancement. Ba'al was a harsh master, as were most System Lords, but he generously rewarded those who served him well. He had worked hard to make it this far in Ba'al's service. This might just put him on top!

But what about this Jaffa? Was he for real? He knew it was not uncommon for Jaffa to avoid the System Lords as much as possible. You could get ahead by serving them directly but it was also possible to get yourself killed much more easily. All it took was your Lord getting angry over any least thing and you were history.

Also, he had heard that Andorans were an unusual race. They were not often to be found in the Goa'uld armies and were considered a rather ascetic race, not concerned with wealth or even power. Yes, this could be a perfect situation. Ba'al would reward him and, if he played this correctly, he could also add one very loyal Jaffa to his court.

"Very well. You do yourself proud. I will accept your gift, on behalf of Lord Ba'al. You are a worthy warrior and I would offer you a place in my service."

Teal'c bowed his head. "I am honored My Lord. May I offer one suggestion?"

"What?"

"The man I brought back is very ill. I do not believe he has much time to live. He needs to be seen to or it may be too late even if Lord Ba'al wishes to revive him."

Ka'treg swallowed nervously. That would be worse than anything, to bring back a dead and useless prize! "Who can we get to help him? Is there a slave here trained in human healing arts?"

One of his Jaffa stepped forward. "I believe one of the priests here is a healer. His house was filled with things that appeared to be used on the human body."

"Where is he?"

"He was taken to his house on the other side of the compound. He was tortured to try and force him to speak but I believe he is still alive."

"Did he speak?"

"No. They will continue to interrogate him and the other priest in the morning."

"Bring him here. No, wait. Take the human to him and tell him he must not die. If he does the priest will die as well, but very slowly."

"Yes my Lord." The Jaffa bowed and backed out.

"May I accompany them My Lord? I would like to make sure that the human is cared for properly so he is strong when you give him to my Lord Ba'al."

"Yes, yes. Go, but come back and tell me how he is doing as soon as you know."

"I will my Lord. Thank you." Teal'c turned and swiftly followed. Two of Ka'treg's personal servants were carrying Jack over to the house. Little did Teal'c know but Jack had been in this house before!"

"What do you want of me?" a fearful voice rose from the darkness in the small house. Teal'c looked and there in the corner, bloody and bruised, was a small, ugly little man. The Jaffa was prodding him with his boot, insisting that he get up. Teal'c glanced over and could see that O'Neill has been placed on what looked like an examination table. Beside it were a number of instruments, many of which were covered in blood. They had obviously been used to try and extract information.

"You are to heal this human. Stand up or my boot will not be so gentle." The little man stood, staggering so much that he had to grab the wall. He managed to drag himself over to the table where he looked down in shock.

"It is this one!" The little man – D'jindra – cried out.

"That's what I said. Heal him."

"No, I mean this is the human that – " the little man stopped himself.

"The human that what?" The Jaffa asked.

"Uh, just that he was sick before." D'jindra looked more closely and could see that this one was near death. He noticed the bandages peaking out and lifted the man's shirt in order to take a closer look. He quickly examined the wound confirming that that was not the main problem. No, as he looked down he knew it was the Kopra and Roshu that had caused this. Stupid man – all he had to do was mate with the woman. Why he wouldn't D'jindra could not figure out.

"Can you help him?"

"No", answered D'jindra shortly. "Only the woman can."

"Woman? What woman?" Teal'c had straightened up sharply when these words were uttered. He tried to remain unobtrusive but was anxious to hear what this was about.

"The woman who was with him. He will die without her."

"What? What are you saying? That is crazy. What can a woman do? Is she a healer?"

"No, no. The sickness he has, it is like an addiction. He has to be near the woman – no, he has to Mai'thun with her, in order to live."

Mai'thun – that was the word Teal'c had heard O'Neill utter. What did it mean?

"What is this 'Mai'thun'? Explain yourself more clearly." The Jaffa was getting impatient, which was never a good thing.

D'jindra seemed to realize this because he turned to the Jaffa and began to speak.

"My Lord Matsya makes hosts – perfect, beautiful hosts. Sometimes there is one of the breeders who is reluctant to do his duty and so we give him Kopra – this increases his desire for the woman. We also have another substance – Roshu – this acts to increase fertility and also desire. They are not to be given together or they create a permanent condition in the man. He becomes addicted to the woman he is with at the time he receives the substances. If he does not 'Mai'thun' - have physical relations with her - he will die."

"I have never heard of such a thing. I believe you are lying."

"No, I do not lie. I created these substances and the results are clear."

"Well, if you created them you must have an antidote. Give it to him."

"I cannot. There is no antidote. The substance is long gone from his body. What it does is change his physical self permanently and his mind so that he can no longer live without the woman. There is nothing we can do."

One of the Jaffa who had remained in the background spoke for the first time. "We can take him to the sarcophagus if my Lord Ba'al agrees. That will save him."

D'jindra looked up, shaking his head. "No, my Lord Matsya tried that. The sarcophagus only helps in small ways. There is nothing to heal – the person is simply changed. The sarcophagus does not recognize that anything is wrong so it does not counteract the effects. They are permanent."

Teal'c was extremely worried by now. If this was true, if this was what O'Neill had, then taking him from Major Carter was the worst thing they could have done. That is why he'd gotten so much worse each step they'd taken from her. And he had been right about the sarcophagus, although for a different reason. Their only hope lay in Janet or if O'Neill and Major Carter – no, he could not even think that way. That was only for them to decide.

He spared a brief thought for his two friends. He wondered if they knew the reasons for O'Neill's illness - and the 'cure'. O'Neill himself had seemed to know something and Teal'c would bet he knew what to do about it. He also knew it was something he would never tell Major Carter. On the other hand, if she was aware, there was nothing that would stop her from trying to help O'Neill.

What a terrible situation for his friends! More important right now, however, was to figure out what to do about it. He turned back to the Jaffa as Matsya's priest or servant or whatever he was, continued to speak.

"All I can do is give him something to try and help the symptoms. I suggest you go bring the woman. She's the only one who can save him."

"I know of no woman." The head Jaffa turned to Teal'c. "Was there a woman with this one?"

"No. He was alone. There were a small number of graves close to where we first saw him. We believed him to have just finished burying them. The woman was most likely there."

"No!" cried D'jindra. "She was the special one. She was going to make beautiful hosts with this one for my Lord Matsya."

"We had better find out whether she's dead or not. In the meantime, do what you can for this human. I will send a message to Lord Ba'al. He might want to take him to his ship and use the sarcophagus anyway. It'll help his other wound at the least."

Back at the ship Sam was working furiously with the scavenged pieces of equipment. Daniel was helping as much as could. Mostly it was simply by handing her the things she asked for. He really didn't have a clue what she was doing.

He did notice, however, that she wasn't well. She kept experiencing bouts of nausea and seemed tired and dizzy. After the third or fourth spell he walked over and made her sit down. Handing her a canteen of water he spoke.

"Sam, there's something wrong. What is it? Do you have what Jack has?" She looked up at him, startled.

"I – I don't think so Daniel. The symptoms aren't the same."

"Do you think you caught some kind of virus?"

"Maybe, I don't know. I haven't really been around anyone but the Colonel for a couple of weeks."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Just a few days. It's okay Daniel. It's not serious – I'm just feeling a little sick. I'll be okay."

Daniel was silent for a minute looking at his friend. She was pale, with dark circles under her eyes. They hadn't had a chance to discuss what had really happened since she and Jack had been captured. He knew Jack had been tortured but not much else. He did know why they had been brought here though, and that worried him. He debated whether to ask but finally decided he needed to know.

"Sam?"

"What Daniel?"

"Could you possibly – I mean, this was a 'host making' facility, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, is there anyway you could be – you know –?"

"What Daniel? What are you talking about?"

"I'm just wondering if you could be pregnant? Did someone – hurt you?"

Sam stared back at him, shocked. She hadn't even given the possibility a thought. There was no way; her birth control was still working, or at least should have been. D'indra had said she was infertile so it _**had**_ been working. But what if they'd given her something that changed that?

"Oh God Daniel." She put her head in her hands and started to shake.

He sat beside her and gently put his arm around her. Slowly rubbing her arm he tried to offer some comfort. "So, it could be?"

"I – maybe, I don't know. It shouldn't be possible. I'm on birth control and they said I wasn't fertile. It must be something else Daniel. I'm just sick. Jack said it was just that I'd been through so much."

"Sam." He turned to face her and took both of her hands in his. "Did someone - force himself on you."

"What? Oh no Daniel, it wasn't like that, not at all. It -"

"Then how - ", he stopped. "Sam, tell me. What happened? Did they do this … artificially?"

She looked at him and then began to laugh, although it carried a hysterical sound behind it. Daniel looked on worriedly. Something was really wrong.

"No Daniel, there was nothing artificial behind it. The Goa'uld wanted to sell a really good host to Ba'al. Who better than the child of his arch enemy and a woman who had been the host to a Tokra." Daniel looked at her for a second and then his eyes grew big.

"Oh God Sam. Do you mean you and Jack?"

"Yes Daniel – what did you think this was all about?"

"Well, it didn't look, or sound like you guys were in that kind of a, you know, relationship. I figured it would be pretty obvious if you ever decided to ditch the regs and go for it."

"Go for it?" she laughed again although it sounded hollow. "You're right, there was no relationship. It was just, being alone, living in close proximity. It was a way to give comfort to each other Daniel, that's all. And I even screwed that up!"

"Like hell it was Sam. You love each other. I don't care how much you lied to one another but you can't tell me you – did that – out of anything but love."

"You're right; I did it out of love. I've always loved him. But it was different for Ja – for the Colonel." She paused and looked up at her friend, sorrow and guilt in her eyes. "I seduced him Daniel. He's a normal man and I, I was the one who came on to him. And then later he thought it was only because I didn't want them to hurt him. They'd threatened to castrate him if he didn't have sex with me. He thought that was the only reason I -. But he doesn't love me. He thinks I love Pete." She looked at her teammate and best friend, expecting to see sympathy and understanding. Instead she saw anger.

"Sam, if I believed in physical violence solving anything I'd take you over my knee right now and spank you! What the hell is wrong with you two? Everybody at the SGC, from General Hammond to the overnight cleaning staff, know you two have loved each other for years. Or at least that you used to. We were all confused when you took up with Pete. But you know what? We all knew that Jack was hurt and devastated when you did. God, how can anyone so brilliant be so stupid at the same time? Here you guys were, trapped together in a house for weeks and instead of actually talking and figuring things out you both decided that the other didn't love you." He stood up, unable to stay still anymore.

Turning to Sam, who sat shocked on the floor, he continued. "So, you decided to be all noble and not say anything to Jack because you were afraid of making him feel uncomfortable, didn't you?" He waited until he saw her give a small nod. "And I can bet any amount of money that he didn't say anything to you, sure that you were in love with Pete and only had sex with Jack in order to 'save him'. So, you both were feeling guilty and holding a broken heart. You know what? If, when we save all our asses and get out of here, you and Jack don't talk I'm going to suggest to General Hammond that we send you to some uninhabited planet and leave you there until you damn well work it out." He walked to the door separating the cabins. "I'm going to leave for a little while. Call me if you need me. Right now I'm too angry to stay here with you. Why don't you use the brains God gave you Sam and figure it out."

He pushed the control and walked through the door as it swooshed open. He really wished for a regular earth wooden door right now. He really needed to slam something.

Sam still sat on the floor, astounded at what Daniel had said. Had she been stupid? Did Jack really love her? She tried to think clearly without letting doubts or guilt get in the way. She thought about his reaction to Pete. When she looked at it another way it sure came out looking like jealousy. He didn't know Pete well enough to really dislike him and yet he could barely be civil about him. Then there was the tenderness he had shown her. He would do anything for her, that she knew. He'd held her, and clearly liked it when she held him. Was it just a guy thing? Was it just because he was physically attracted to her?

She thought of the times they had made love. That wasn't a man interested only in his own gratification. He was too tender, too caring, too – giving. He had shown himself to be more interested in her feelings and enjoyment than his own. Then there was his hurt when he thought she'd only done it to save him rather than because she - !

The tears slowly started to gather in her eyes and finally to overflow and fall onto her cheeks. Daniel was right. She had thrown Jack's feelings for her back in his face. He cared for her. No, he loved her and what had she done? She'd gone out and replaced him without a thought. She had decided that her feelings were one sided – but had never really _**listened**_ to him. She could read him like a book in the field but when it came to his feelings, she was as deaf as a post! Teal'c and Daniel, hell, even General Hammond, could tell that Jack loved her. They knew him well enough to tell. How was it that she had completely missed it?

It was because she was afraid, she admitted to herself. Afraid that if she looked too closely she'd see only his warm affection and not love. Afraid that she'd be forced to chose between him and career. Afraid that she'd have to risk herself and her heart. She'd been hurt before and was afraid to allow it to happen again.

You're a coward, Samantha Carter. I don't know how a brave man like Jack O'Neill _**can**_ love you. But he does. And she was just sitting here as he was being taken to the one being that scared him more than any other in this universe. Get your butt up Samantha Carter and go save the man you love – and that loves you!

"DANIEL!" she shouted. He came running.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. We're going to go save Jack. I need your help."

"Ah, okay. Look Sam, I'm sorry about - "

"Nothing to be sorry about Daniel", she answered as she quickly got back to work. "You were right and I needed to have someone kick my butt. I do love Jack and he damn well loves me. We're going to go get him, help him get better and then _**I'm**_ going to kick his ass for him. Neither of us are going to be", she looked over at Daniel and grinned, "stupid, anymore. Come on, let's get moving."

Daniel grinned back at her, pleased to see his fiery Sam once more. A thought swiftly followed, which caused his grin to fade. "But Sam, what about, your uh 'sickness'?"

"I don't know Daniel. Maybe I am just sick or maybe I am pregnant. Right now it doesn't really matter. If I am, well then I'm just going to have to learn to have lots of patience."

"Huh?" he looked confused.

"Cause then I'll have two O'Neills to deal with. That will definitely require the patience of a saint!"


	25. Chances

**_Okay - I am doing a poll! The question is - Is Sam pregnant or not? I'd like to hear from my readers about what you think and what you'd like to see happen with that. I have an idea where it's going but I'm not 100% sure! Your feedback will be appreciated - and could sway where I'm taking this. Thanks!_**

D'jindra gave Jack something which did help a bit. It may have been the same concoction that Matria had given him although it seemed to have a little more effect.

Jack's eyes slowly opened. It took him a second to realize he was back in D'jindra's Chamber of Horrors. He groaned softly to himself. Oh well, it was still better than Ba'al.

"O'Neill." A soft voice spoke beside him. He allowed himself to look and saw Teal'c standing at his shoulder.

"Te - "

"Shhh!" His friend glanced to the side, indicating that there were other Jaffa seated by the wall. They were talking to each other but they still had to be careful.

"They have gone to tell Ba'al you are here." Jack closed his eyes and muttered a small 'shit'. "They have also gone to search for the 'woman'."

"Huh?"

"They look for Samantha Carter", he whispered quietly.

"Why?"

"The priest that was here told them about her." As Jack just looked confused Teal'c described the little man.

"Oh yeah – D'jindra. He's Matsya's torturer. He's the one who gave me the - " He stopped, realizing he didn't want to tell anyone about his 'nipple rings'. It was too embarrassing. If he didn't have to he didn't want anyone but the doc to know.

"Yes, he is the one who gave you the Kopra and Roshu."

"What?" Jack looked up at his friend. "Who told you about that?"

"He did. He also explained what they did. That is why they look for the woman."

O'Neill could feel his face turn red, whether from anger or embarrassment even he didn't know. It was probably both.

"So what exactly did he tell you?"

"That you are now 'addicted' to Major Carter and you must 'Mai'thun' in order to survive."

"I see. And did he tell you what that means?"

"Yes. I am sorry O'Neill. Does Major Carter know?"

"No! And you can't say anything to her Teal'c." As his friend just stared at him Jack began to get squirm.

"Teal'c please. You have to promise!"

"But that will mean your death O'Neill. Samantha would not want that."

"No, I know. But I also know she'd do anything to save me and that would destroy any possibility of a true … relationship. To be forced together only because I'd die if we didn't have sex -we'd end up hating each other and that would be worse than dying Teal'c."

"But you would not be together for only that reason. You would also be together because you loved one another."

Even yesterday Jack would have argued with his friend over that, claiming that Carter was in love with Pete. After her whispered words to him he now wasn't sure what to think. He knew she felt something for him. He hoped it was true and she really loved him. He also knew it could simply be the situation. When/if they returned she would probably just return to Shanahan. The regulations were still there. But for now, he wanted to believe she did love him. He wanted to die believing that.

"Please my friend, promise me. Just think of it as the last wish of a dying man."

"No" Jack looked hurt until Teal'c continued, "I will not think of it that way. I refuse to accept that you will die. But I will agree not to say anything if that is your wish, although I believe you are wrong."

"Thanks Teal'c." He lay back and closed his eyes. He felt somewhat better although still weak. More than anything he was scared. The thought of Ba'al sent shivers through him. This time they were shivers of fear rather than of cold. He just thanked God that Teal'c was here.

It was not too long before he could hear the sound of more than one Jaffa approaching. Why in hell didn't they teach them something about stealth? You could always here them coming from a mile away. As they got closer Teal'c moved back, into the shadows of the room.

"Where is my friend O'Neill?" Shit, here comes the slimy toad.

"Ah, there you are Jack. It is so good to see you, although you are not looking too well."

"Hiya Bocce. Long time no see. I'd like to say I'd missed you but that would be a lie. Come to spread your 'snakiness' around?"

"Ah yes, the impudent Colonel O'Neill. I will say that I have missed you. But that will change. Now you can come with me forever and I will no longer have to miss you."

"Great. Can't say as I'm looking forward to it Bocce. Your hospitality leaves something to be desired." Jack coughed and began to look paler than ever. Ba'al looked over sharply at his Prime.

"What is wrong with him? Has he been injured?"

"No my Lord. He has been given some substance that is causing this. The priest here can explain." The Jaffa walked over and grabbed D'jindra who was curled up in the corner, trying to escape attention.

"You again! Tell me, what is wrong with O'Neill?"

So D'jindra explained once more what had happened with O'Neill and the need to find 'the woman'.

"Is this woman tall with fair hair and blue eyes?" asked Ba'al.

"Yes My Lord. Do you know her?" Ba'al nodded to his Prime who proceeded to knock D'jindra to the ground.

"You are insolent. You are not to ask questions, only to answer them. But, to be kind I will tell you. That woman is Samantha Carter. Matsya promised that I would have a child of these two humans. Why did you give these things to O'Neill?"

"He refused to cooperate. He would not impregnate the woman."

"No?" Ba'al turned and looked down at Jack. "Are you a fool O'Neill? Or is it that you do not desire women? I would think any normal human would relish the chance to take an attractive woman like Samantha Carter."

"Bite me!"

Ba'al laughed. "You are weak O'Neill. And your insults are also weak." He turned to where D'jindra lay cowering on the floor. "You know nothing. You did not have to try and make O'Neill cooperate – you simply had to take what you wanted. You could easily have impregnated the woman without his cooperation.

Oh, that sounded peachy, thought Jack. Wonder how they would have accomplished that? No, maybe he didn't really want to know.

"Where is the woman?" the Goa'uld asked.

"We do not know My Lord. The Jaffa who caught O'Neill said he had found him burying some humans. We think she may have been killed."

Ba'al looked down at his enemy for a few minutes. "No, I do not think so. I think she lives." He reached out and put his hand on Jack's face. The Colonel tried to jerk away but Ba'al held on tightly.

"We will find her O'Neill and bring her with us. I will breed many of your children on her and will use them as hosts. One I will raise specially and he will one day be _**my**_ host. I will watch as you see your children turned into Goa'uld. I may breed other women with you as well. Just think, I could create a whole army of your children to defeat the Tauri. Isn't that a delicious thought? Of course, in between I can have lots of fun with you and simply put you in the sarcophagus again and again. Of course, you will no longer be the same but that does not matter. We do not need your mind to use you for stud."

Jack lay there, trying with all his might, to not let this devil know how frightened he was. He couldn't think of any worse punishment than the one Ba'al described. It wasn't the physical torture that bothered him as much as the thought of what he planned to do with his children. And they were now after Sam. God Carter – get out of there quickly!

"In the meantime, let us take him to the sarcophagus and cure him. We can then spend some time together. I still have some of the acid left O'Neill."

"I'm sorry My Lord." His Jaffa spoke up.

"What?"

"The priest said that the sarcophagus would not work to help him. The substances he was given mean that he must have the woman. Only she can save him."

Ba'al turned to D'jindra. "Is this true!" he spoke sharply.

"Yes My Lord."

"How do you know the sarcophagus will not work? You are not Goa'uld."

"No My Lord. My Lord Matsya tried it and it did not work. He is changed by the Kopra and Roshu and only the woman can help."

"Hey", Jack spoke up. "You and he should get together. The two balls – Bocce and Matzo!" Maybe he could needle Ba'al enough to simply kill him and have done with it.

"Take him to the ship and put him in the sarcophagus. We will see if the priest tells the truth about it not working."

"Yes My Lord. He also had some medicine that seems to help."

"Fine, bring that as well, and the priest." He turned and walked towards the door. Before he left he spoke once more to O'Neill.

"I look forward to our time together O'Neill. Do not worry, I will not let you die – at least not permanently." He turned and walked out, leaving Jack sick with fear and hoping that his friends would be safe.

**Sam and Daniel**

"Yes!" Daniel heard Sam give a shout. She sounded happy about something.

"Come on Daniel. Let's go."

"Go? Go where?"

"We're going to the compound to get Jack and Teal'c."

"How? We can't fly there."

"Yes we can." Sam turned and grinned at him. "I discovered the shields."

"Oh okay. OKAY! Great job Sam. Come on, let's go."

Laughing, giddy with relief, the two friends sat side by side as Sam started the craft. Hitting a small switch hidden under the console she then took the controls and slowly lifted off the ground. She turned it towards Matsya's village.

Daniel looked out of the small window. "Sam look." He pointed down to where a unit of Jaffa were marching through the forest. They would have arrived at the landing site before long. They had made it out just in time. Maybe their luck was holding.

"So, what are we going to do when we get there?" Sam looked at him with a slightly less confident glance.

"Well, hopefully we'll get there before Jack is taken to Ba'al's ship. We can try to get him and Teal'c out and make it back to this ship and high tail it out of here."

It was a rather flimsy plan, but they'd been successful with worse. "And if he has been taken to Ba'al?"

"Well, then we'll have to figure out a way of making it on to the mothership as well. We'll break him out and then head back to this ship and leave."

"How are we going to accomplish that?"

"Well, I made a few things that should help."

"Don't tell me you figured out a way to make a nuclear warhead using chewing gum and a paperclip."

She grinned again. "Almost, but not quite. I've put together a little something that should disrupt the controls and confuse the Goa'uld. It should give us just enough time to get the Colonel and get out."

"Sam." She turned to look at him, not liking the serious tone in his voice.

"What?"

"What if Jack – what if he didn't make it. He was awfully sick."

"He will make it. He can't not make it Daniel." She spoke confidently although there was an undercurrent of fear. They sat in silence until Sam suddenly began adjusting the controls.

"Here we are. I'm going to land this as close as I can without letting on we're here. I don't want anyone to see the trees moving as we land." She maneuvered the spacecraft carefully and landed in a small clearing a few hundred feet from the camp.

"Okay, let's go."

"Uh Sam. Don't you think we'll be recognized if we just waltz in?"

"I'm not planning to 'waltz in' Daniel. We'll be careful."

They gathered the 'weapons' Sam had made and headed to the door.

"What about the slaves?" Daniel turned to his friend. They had not talked about the people who had been stolen but he knew it had to be in both their minds.

"If we can find them and figure out a way to save them we will. Otherwise we'll have to come back."

"If Ba'al doesn't get them first." He was angry at the thought of innocent people being used by the Goa'uld.

"I know Daniel. It bothers me too. We'll do what we can."

"See anything", Daniel whispered as they crouched down outside the perimeter fence looking through the spaces between the posts. Sam had led them to the place where she and Jack had escaped such a short time before.

"It looks quiet. Wait, look." Sam pointed to a small house over to the side of the compound. The door had opened and a number of Jaffa exited. Two of them were dragging someone between them.

"It's Jack." Daniel couldn't tell if he was alive or not. He might simply be unconscious.

As they watched, the Jaffa took him to the middle of the camp and stood there until rings appeared. In a second the Jaffa and Jack had disappeared into Ba'al's mothership.

"Damn! I was hoping we wouldn't have to go get him." Things were not looking up!

"Sam look. There's Teal'c." They watched as Teal'c exited the house and headed to another one. He stopped and spoke to an elaborately dressed man who was standing outside.

"That must be Teal'c's Goa'uld."

"I don't think Teal'c would like that description very much but yeah, I think you're right. He's dressed badly enough. You'd think they'd get tired of all that gaudy clothing. Totally overdressed for the occasion."

Sam turned and smiled at Daniel. She knew what he was trying to do. He was doing a 'Jack' and trying to distract her using humor. It didn't work but she appreciated the effort.

"Daniel, I have an idea!" She proceeded to explain to him what she planned. After shaking his head and saying a violent 'no' repeatedly, he finally gave in. As much as he didn't like the plan, he couldn't think of another one.

"Okay, Teal'c's camp is over there", he pointed. Once it gets dark I'll go over and get his attention and have him meet you. I hope to God this works."

"Just make sure you're in place Daniel. We'll be counting on you."

"Don't worry Sam. I may not have the same level of experience as you or Jack but I think I can handle this one. Just look after yourself!"

It was difficult waiting for hours for darkness to come. They watched the various Jaffa come and go. They heard screaming for quite a few hours until finally it stopped abruptly. They could only hope that the priests had finally died. As bad as they had been, thought Sam, no one deserved that.

Of course, the sound of the torture only brought Jack to mind. She didn't even want to contemplate what was happening to him. Maybe his illness was keeping Ba'al from torturing him. She could only hope.

Finally it grew dark enough for them to make their way towards Teal'c's camp. Fortunately it was close to the fence so all Daniel had to do was make it over and not let anyone notice him.

Once things were quiet he gave a thumbs up sign to Sam and began to climb.

"Teal'c", he whispered as he approached his friend. Teal'c seemed to be deep in Kel'noreem.

"What are you doing Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c spoke quietly, not moving.

"We need your help. Sam is here and needs to get on Ba'al's ship." At that Teal'c opened his eyes.

"Come into the tent." He gestured for Daniel to follow him. Neither of them noticed the eyes that were watching them.

"Tell me what is happening Daniel Jackson." Teal'c sat and gestured for Daniel to follow suit.

After Daniel had finished explaining things to Teal'c the big man sat quietly for a moment.

"It is very dangerous. Do you believe it will work?"

"Hey, you know Sam. She hasn't failed us in the past and she's determined to save Jack."

"Yes, she has learned well. She too will not leave someone behind."

"Especially not Jack!"

Teal'c looked at the younger man, his eyebrow raised in inquiry.

"Oh come on Teal'c. Surely you know how they feel about each other."

"I do. Does Samantha recognize this as well? O'Neill is unsure of her feelings for him."

"I know. They're both idiots. I told Sam that and I think she's finally got it. She admitted she loved him and I think she finally believes he loves her. We have to help get them together."

"Yes, we must!" Daniel looked at Teal'c quizzically. There was something more to his voice that a simple desire to see his friends happy.

"Wh –?"

"Not now, Daniel Jackson. Let us save O'Neill and we can discuss this more at another time. I will go and meet Major Carter. Will you be safe returning to the ship."

"Yeah, don't worry about me."

"He may not worry, but I would." The two friends looked up as the deep tones of a Goa'uld spoke to them. They could just see a dark shape in the door of their tent. Damn, they'd been so close!

**Ba'al's Ship**

Jack didn't remember too much about the journey. The Jaffa hadn't been particularly gentle when they'd grabbed him. In fact, that was putting it mildly! They had thought it great fun to make him suffer even more! All their manhandling (or should he say 'Jaffa-handling) did was to make him pretty much pass out until he'd arrived in the mothership.

God, he hated the inside of these things. As they dragged him down the corridor all he could do was feel nauseous at the overdone décor. He really hated gold!

"Hey, you guys should really check out HGTV. You'll have a heck of a time selling this place. Maybe you should consider buying a few stainless steel appliances, maybe a little granite. It'd do wonders for the place - really update it, if you know what I mean."

"Silence! Put him in the sarcophagus." Okay that must be Ba'al's First Prime talking. As they lifted him up into the coffin-like box he felt a moment of utter panic. He hated these things! It was starting all over again. God, he couldn't do this.

As the doors closed he could feel tears forming in his eyes. Unable to stop himself, he began to weep silently, with pain, fear and the sense that he would never see his friends – or his love – again.


	26. The Fading Beat of a Heart

**_Thanks to all of you who gave me your ideas and suggestions! You gave me a lot to think about. Here's the next chapter. They're a little shorter this week as I've been tired and busy. I'm away for the long weekend so may not have a chance to update for a while._**

Daniel stood slowly, not wanting to feel at a disadvantage as the Goa'uld advanced into the room. He wondered how much the intruder had heard.

"Kraneas!" Daniel exclaimed as he recognized the 'slave'. Still dressed in his servants clothes, the only indication of who Kraneas really was came as a result of the glowing eyes and deep timbered voice.

"Yes, it is I." Suddenly he spoke in a normal voice and was once again nothing more than a slave.

"You should be careful", he continued. Anyone could have come in without your knowing."

"It appears as if someone did." Teal'c spoke for the first time.

"Yes, but I am on your side."

"Are you really?" asked Daniel. "How do we know that for a fact?"

"Well, if I were Goa'uld I would have called the Jaffa to take you. Or I would have told them along time ago who you really were. I simply waited to make sure I could trust you before coming to speak with you."

"How do _**we**_ know we can trust you?"

"I guess you do not. All I can tell you is that I am Tokra. When I first heard you speak of 'Shayan' I guessed. I have heard Selmac speak of you many times. I also know of the 'Shol'va'. I have come to see if I may offer my assistance."

"Well, that would be much appreciated. But how is it that you're here?"

"I have been here for a long time in the service of my Master, Gro'Mal." He gave a small smile. "I have learned much useful information while with Ba'al's army."

"What about Gro'Mal, is he Tokra as well?" Kraneas laughed, and then looked disdainful. "No, he is Jaffa. However he sympathizes with the Free Jaffa. He would have left to go to them but I convinced him he could do more good here, helping me to stay undercover. He can be counted on however."

Both Daniel and Teal'c were impressed. It was not often that they heard of any kind of a partnership between a Jaffa and a Tokra.

"But why are you pretending to be a slave. Wouldn't it serve you better to have come as a Goa'uld?"

"Ba'al is suspicious of all those that serve him, other Goa'uld especially. No one notices a slave, however. I am able to see and hear things and yet am considered invisible. It is useful."

Nodding in acceptance of what Kraneas had told them, Teal'c then got directly to the point.

"We need to get onto Ba'al's ship and save a comrade. Can you help us?"

It was only a short time later that two Jaffa and a slave could be seen escorting a human woman to the clearing where the rings would touch down. One of the Jaffa walked over and spoke to the one controlling access to Ba'al's ship.

"We are here to take the woman to My Lord Ba'al." Gro'Mal spoke gruffly but decisively.

"What woman?"

"Fool! The woman he had us find. She is important to our God. You must call the rings so we may take her." The guard looked at Gro'Mal suspiciously and then over to the woman. He could see that the other Jaffa was Tro'han, the one who had captured the human male.

"I will call My Lord Ka'treg and he can decide."

"Yes. That is a good plan." Teal'c spoke up softly. "We are under orders from Ka'treg. You saw that he has taken me into his service. He will like the fact that you ignore his trusted servant and have wakened him. He will be pleased." The guard began to look hesitant. It was true – Ka'treg was pleased with Tro'han who had shown his loyalty to him and to Ba'al.

"All right. I will call the rings. Get prepared." The two Jaffa and two humans walked into the circle. The woman was looking suitably terrified by her upcoming ordeal. The guard laughed to himself. He would not want to be in the humans' place for anything.

Teal'c, Gro'Mal, Kraneas and Sam were ringed onto the ship. It was short work to zap the two guards who were in the ring room. Neither of them were expecting anything other than Ba'al's faithful Jaffa to arrive.

"We have to find the Colonel Teal'c. Can you do that while I set these?" She held up some crude looking pieces of metal and wire. She had had to piece them together on their spaceship but she prayed that how they looked weren't an indication of how well they would operate.

"I will find him, do not worry. Will you be safe?"

"I'll take Gro'Mal with me. He can be my 'guard' if we are seen. Let's meet back here in one hour. If I'm not here but you have the Colonel, just go Teal'c. You have to get him to safety."

"You know he will refuse to leave if you are not with us?"

"Well, best thing is don't tell him – or simply make him leave. Come on, we're wasting time. Let's go."

**The Cell**

Jack woke up but was no longer in the sarcophagus. He was grateful that he'd slept through the transfer to the room. He was afraid he would have started screaming if he'd woken up in it again.

He slowly began to become aware, trying to determine how he felt. Each time he'd woken in the sarcophagus in the past he'd always felt good – at least physically. It seemed to revive him and fill him with energy. This time the feeling was very different.

Oh, he could tell that the staff wound had been healed. That, at least, was a relief. That was all that was better, though. He noticed almost immediately that he was freezing cold. He was also weak, dizzy and ached all over. He'd hoped he would feel somewhat better after his time in the 'magic box'; if anything he felt worse.

"The sarcophagus rids your body of the medicine. That is why you are feeling so bad." A much hated voice came to him from the other corner of what he assumed was a cell. He slowly lifted his head and, sure enough, there sat the creep, D'jindra.

"What are you doing here?" he asked his second least favorite alien.

"Ba'al wanted me here to look after you."

"Really? Does he know it's your fault I'm sick in the first place?"

"Yes. That is why I am charged with keeping you alive until they capture the woman."

"Ain't gonna happen."

"What? Keeping you alive or finding the woman?"

"Probably both although the keeping alive part would be kinda nice. No, I meant he'll never capture Carter. She's much too smart for Ba'al."

"She was not too smart for my Lord Matsya."

"Well, that was a surprise. Hey, speaking of slimy sons of bitches, where is Matzo? I haven't seen him for a while. Off on vacation or something is he?"

D'jindra sneered. This human was pathetic. He could not understand why Ba'al was so desperate for a child from this one. "He is where no one will find him."

"Running scared is he? Well, I think he'd better be careful. Ba'al will find him eventually and then 'sayonara Matzo' – and you …. hopefully." Jack stopped talking, the effort of keeping up his 'idiot' demeanor becoming too much for him.

"Are you weak and cold?" the hated voice spoke softly. He gave a small 'grunt' in reply.

"Do you want some of the medicine? It will make you feel better."

"Up to you Ginny." He heard the other man slide over to him. As D'jindra drew near Jack realized he's been hurt pretty badly himself. Ba'al hadn't seen fit to stick him in the sarcophagus either. He wondered what the System Lord's plan was for the little guy?

"Here, you must take this." He held out a dropper of the medicine. Jack closed his eyes and opened his mouth. He assumed the stuff was safe. He wouldn't want to be in D'jindra's shoes if he disobeyed Ba'al.

It took a few minutes – longer this time than before – but he slowly began to feel better. Eventually he could even push himself up so at least he was no longer lying on the hard floor.

"You are feeling better?"

"Yeah. I guess. So, what do you think Ba'al's gonna do with you? I can't see him keeping you."

"Even if he did I would not serve him. My master is Lord Matsya. He is the creator of life and my soul is his."

"Creator of life? You're got to be kidding. He's nothing but a slave master. He doesn't create anything. He kidnaps people and then forces them to have children, whom he later steals. He's nothing but a two-bit criminal."

"You will not speak so of my God." D'jindra was angry. If he had been stronger he would have struck out at the human.

"God? Ha! That's a laugh. Do you honestly believe these parasites are gods? Well, I guess it doesn't really matter. You're a goner anyway."

D'jindra looked over at the human whom he had so callously harmed. Although he hated this one, he also knew he was correct. His days were numbered unless he could figure out how to get out of here and return to Matsya.

He had been shocked, and upset, when Lord Matsya had ordered him to stay behind. The Goa'uld figured it would be better to have a few stay. They could tell Lord Ba'al that Matsya had been gone a long time and that they were simply custodians of the planet.

It was supposed to have been easy.

Instead, he'd been tortured and others killed. He would never betray his god, although he felt himself betrayed. He simply wanted things to return to the way they had been. He looked again at the ill man sitting across from him. He couldn't understand him. All he had had to do was have relations with the woman until she was pregnant. It was something most of the men enjoyed. Why had he resisted? What was it that made him refuse to take a beautiful woman to his bed?

"Why?" he asked quietly.

"Why what?" Jack was looking up at the ceiling and didn't look down to answer.

"Why did you not take the woman? It would have been easier for you."

There was a long pause until finally he answered. "No. No it wouldn't."

D'jindra sat quietly, not understanding.

"You see", Jack continued, no longer really aware of the man with him. "I could not live with myself if I'd hurt her. I'd rather die." He sat, his eyes closed, thinking of their too brief time together. He hoped he hadn't hurt her. Had he thrown her … love …. back in her face. If she did love him maybe his stopping things between them had been cruel.

He sighed and opened his eyes. D'jindra was still watching him. He was one who would never understand the meaning of sacrifice or helping the other.

They sat there in silence for a long time, neither having anything to say to the other one. As Jack rested, trying not to think about what was coming, he again heard the sound of Jaffa boots. Damn! It had been a short reprieve.

As the door opened he took a deep breath. He prayed he could get through what was next without disgracing himself.

"O'Neill!" He looked up, startled and overjoyed at hearing that voice.

"Teal'c! What the hell are you doing here?"

"We have come to get you out. Can you stand?"

"Yeah, I think so." Jack slowly made it to his feet. Thank goodness the creep had given him the medicine. "Let's go."

"What about this one?" Teal'c gestured towards D'jindra.

"Please, take me with you." The man cried in fear. If Ba'al returned and the human was gone he could expect a long and painful death.

"Uh Teal'c? What do you think?"

"I do not see a reason to take him."

"No, I guess not." Jack walked slowly to the door. "On the other hand, he might be able to tell us where the slaves are." He turned to D'jindra who looked back in anger. The little man knew that that was the price of his freedom.

"I will tell you, but only if you promise not to harm my Lord Matsya." He hissed.

"Well, I can't say as I can promise that." Jack answered, "but I can promise you one thing. If Ba'al come and you're here – well, let's just say you'll have a long and unpleasant life ahead of you."

Unsure, but knowing he did not want to experience any more torture, D'jindra finally agreed.

"I will tell you. Just let us leave this place." He then walked over and followed Jack.

As they exited the small cell, Jack could see what looked like a servant standing guard.

"Who's this?" he whispered to Teal'c.

"Kraneas. He is Tokra and he is helping us. Come, we must make haste before it is discovered you are gone." He began walking quickly, gesturing for the others to follow.

Jack tried moving as quickly as he could, using every bit of adrenaline his body could manufacture. He knew he was still holding them up but there was nothing more he could do.

As they walked through the corridors of Ba'al's ship Jack again marveled at his team. He'd long ago lost count of the times he'd been rescued – or had been the rescuer. SG1 had truly had a guardian angel (or maybe this time a guardian Jaffa, O'Neill laughed to himself.)

"Come, we must go this way." Teal'c pointed down another corridor. How the hell could he tell the difference? All the corridors looked exactly the same to him. As he pondered this he suddenly began to wonder about the rest of his team.

"Teal'c" he called softly. "Daniel? Sam?" Teal'c looked at him briefly.

"Samantha Carter is laying down a diversion. She will meet us in the ring room. Daniel awaits us on the planet."

"What! You mean to tell me Carter is here? On the ship."

"I do."

"No! Damnit Teal'c, why did you let her come? It's too dangerous. It's what Ba'al wanted. He wants us both. God, let's get out of here."

Teal'c glanced in surprise at the Colonel. He'd never heard such a note of – panic – in O'Neill's voice before. His weakness, plus his previous experience at Ba'al's hand must make it painful for him to be here. Added to that was his love of Major Carter and Teal'c understood how difficult this must be.

"We are almost there O'Neill, do not worry."

"Oh, he should worry, Sholv'a." Ba'al stepped out from a side room, followed by three Jaffa with their staff weapons trained on the escaping prisoners and their companions.

Jack could hear D'jindra moan, knowing that his life was now forfeit.

"So, you wanted to leave O'Neill? I am crushed. After all I have done for you you were just planning to go without wishing me goodbye?"

"Oh hey, if you want a goodbye I'm happy to oblige. See ya snakehead. So long, farewell and ciao baby. Can we go now?"

"I am sorry O'Neill. I must ask you to stay a while longer. Jaffa", he turned to his guards. "Escort these ones to a cell and make sure they do not escape. I will take O'Neill with me. We have unfinished business."

Jack could feel a shudder move through him. He would have liked to believe it was the illness but the part of him which would never allow him to lie to himself admitted it was fear that caused it.

Ba'al gestured for him to precede him – a stately gesture which added a touch of the macabre to the whole scene. Jack paused, debating whether to try something or not. He knew it would be useless but it was still better than simply giving in.

"There is no point O'Neill", Ba'al knew exactly what he was thinking. "You do not need to worry – I know how foolishly courageous you are – at least for now. You have nothing to prove to me and you know there is no hope of escape." The Jaffa had, by this time, escorted Teal'c and the servant away and they could no longer be seen. With a deep breath Jack decided to preserve what little energy he had left and simply turned to go where the Goa'uld pointed.

His only hope, as he started to walk, was that the effects of the drugs he had been given would kill him soon.

They walked for almost five minutes until he was told to stop. Ba'al opened a small, unobtrusive door. The moment Jack walked into the room he recognized it for what it was – a torture chamber.

Gulping, he tried to speak, but nothing came out but a soft choking sound. He tried again, not wanting to let his nemesis know how badly all this affected him.

"What's this for?" he asked, gesturing to the room. "You don't really need to do this you know. I don't have any information to give you. I thought you wanted me simply to breed little hosts?"

"Oh yes, but I thought we could have some fun in the meantime." He walked over to a consol, much like the one Jack had seen before, another time, another torture chamber. "Do you remember these O'Neill?" Ba'al reached down and lifted up one of the serrated daggers Jack remembered all too well. "These are exceptional weapons. I had them made for special occasions like this." He walked over to Jack and looked him up and down. Taking the dagger he drew it softly, slowly down Jack's cheek, just drawing blood. "Pity you are so weak. You probably won't last very long." He turned and walked to the chair in front of the console.

"Once I find the woman and you – what was the word – 'Mai'thun' with her we will have much more time to play." Ba'al reached down again and drew something else out. It was a strange, egg shaped object made of some kind of shiny black metal. As far as Jack could tell there wasn't any kind of control mechanism on it. Ba'al, however pointed it at him and the next think Jack knew he was writhing in pain on the floor.

He couldn't catch his breath. He could feel the veins in his head begin to pop out, throbbing in time to his erratically pounding heart. Soon, however, he could feel the beats begin to slow down from the lack of oxygen. The pressure inside him was building. He had the eerie sensation that he might explode at any moment. As things began to get dark, and the beats of his heart grew fainter and slower, his second to last thought was that he hoped this was it; that Ba'al could not raise him again. His very last thought, before succumbing to darkness and death, was simple; Sam.


	27. To Make it Home

The loud shriek reverberated through the ship, magnified by the metal surfaces on every wall. Ba'al grabbed his head, dropping to his knees in agony. The egg-like weapon had dropped from his hand and rolled under the console. As the sound continued the System Lord appeared to grow weaker until he collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

With a gasp, Jack took a deep breath. Suddenly he could hear his heart beating – it was a sound he had not expected to hear again - at least not until waking up in the sarcophagus. In the foggy recesses of his mind a small voice told him he was still alive.

"Sir"

No – he took that back. The last thing he remembered had been calling Sam. That she answered must mean that he _was_ dead. Maybe he was in heaven? That would be something, he decided. He'd often wondered if God would let him in after all the things he'd done in his life.

"Sir, you have to get up."

What? Why did he have to get up? If this was heaven you'd think they'd let him sleep in a bit. Dying took a lot out of you.

"Sir, please. We don't have much time. You have to wake up."

"Wha-?" He slowly opened his eyes and looked right into his most favorite eyes.

"Come on Sir, please."

"Oh …. Okay." He still couldn't figure out what was going on, his mind still reeling from the assault. He did know that listening to Sam when she had that tone of voice was important. He pushed himself to a sitting position, with Carter's help.

"Wha's happnin'?" he grunted. He started to fall back down but Carter stopped him.

"We're on Ba'al's ship Sir. We have to get off before they find us. Come on." She began to pull him up. He tried to help, really he did, but she ended up doing most of the work.

Once she had him to a standing position she began to lead him out of the room. He kept stumbling and the going was slow. Without warning he stopped.

"Sir?"

"Ba'al"

"It's okay Sir. I set a high pitched sound to play throughout the ship. It's set at a frequency that appears to affect the symbiote. I don't know how long it will last so we've got to go."

"No. Kill him. Kill Ba'al."

"Uh, he's gone Colonel. Come _on!_ We've got to move." She began to lead him towards the door again. As they exited the room she could see Gro'Mal still on guard.

"Anything?" she asked the large Jaffa.

When he didn't respond she walked up and gently touched his arm. He jerked and turned to her, his zat held up. As soon as he saw who it was he lowered his weapon.

"It's okay now." She mouthed to him, pointing at his ears. He nodded and pulled something from each ear.

"We have to hurry." Gro'Mal took over helping the Colonel, his size and strength making it easier. Sam led the way to the ring room.

"Major." O'Neill gasped out. Sam turned to look at him. "Teal'c and … Tokra …. Ba'al got them."

"Damn!" she stopped. That meant more time spent saving them. "Gro'Mal, get Colonel O'Neill to the ring room. I'll go and see if I can help Teal'c and Kraneas." She turned and, before O'Neill could object, she headed in the opposite direction.

As Sam looked for her comrades she just hoped they had done as she had told them and had put the sap covered pieces of cloth in their ears before she set off the high frequency sound. If so maybe they had a chance.

Jack objected, as strongly as he could, all the way to the ring room. He desperately wanted to go and help find his 'team' but knew he was too weak. He was also frightened for Sam and Teal'c. What if they were recaptured?

He couldn't figure out why Sam had said Ba'al was gone. He'd hoped that they could have killed the bastard. He'd have to ask Sam what had happened.

"Major Carter!" a soft voice interrupted her careful trek through the gold covered corridor.

"Teal'c!" the man in question appeared from behind one of the pillars in the corridor, followed closely by the Tokra and D'jindra. "How did you get away?"

"We were prepared for the sound. As soon as it started we were able to overpower the guards. Were you successful? Were you able to retrieve O'Neill?"

"Yes. Come on. We've got to get off the ship. Gro'Mal has taken him to the ring room." The three 'rescuers', along with Matsya's 'torturer' made their way to where the Tokra waited with Colonel O'Neill.

"Do not fret Colonel. I am sure Major Carter will find them. Everything will be fine."

"Yeah", Jack didn't have the energy to say much more. As it was he couldn't stand and had sunk to the ground as they waited. So far they had only seen one Jaffa and he looked as if he had still been incapacitated by the sound. Whatever that frequency was, it sure affected the symbiotes. He wondered briefly why Sam hadn't used it before.

"Okay, let's go." Jack looked up in relief as he heard Sam speak. She, Teal'c and Kraneas were back. He was less pleased to see D'jindra but knew it was necessary. Teal'c quickly walked to he controls and nodded, waiting for everyone to take their positions.

"Here Sir." Sam walked over and, with Gro'Mal's help, assisted Jack to his feet and over to the ring pad. Teal'c quickly sent the controls and then hopped over to the others. Within seconds the rings had transported them back to the planet.

This was probably one of the most dangerous parts of their plan. They had tried to figure out how to ring to another location but didn't have the time to try and refigure new coordinates. They knew how tricky it was going to be to arrive right in the middle of a Jaffa camp. This is where they were relying on Daniel.

The moment they touched down and the rings disappeared they looked up to see at least a dozen Jaffa surrounding them. Someone on the ship must have recovered enough to send word.

"Kree!" Oh yeah, sure, thought Jack. Couldn't these guys at least be original for once!

He hadn't even had a chance to think a second thoughtwhen an explosion occurred no more than twenty feet from where they were standing. Before anyone had a chance to react another one went off, then another and another. Suddenly, the camp erupted in chaos with shouts and screams coming from all corners of the compound. Within seconds smoke and dust were everywhere and people were running in panic. Sam's group instantly took advantage of the pandemonium and ran towards the gate. A couple of the Jaffa tried to fire on them but Teal'c and Gro'Mal quickly neutralized them.

"Let's go!" shouted Carter. Still holding on to Jack she ran with him as fast as they could go. She could hear him wheezing but he used everything he had in him to keep going. Little did she know that he got a burst of energy anytime she touched him.

They finally made it to the gate which was still closed and barred. Two Jaffa stood and guarded it carefully even though they were looking worried over the seeming battle raging before them. As yet they had not seen the enemy but the explosions kept happening every few seconds.

It didn't take long for the escaped prisoners to make their way past the (now unconscious) guards and out into the forest beyond. Jack was pleased but wondered what good this was going to do. As soon as the chaos in the camp ended a Jaffa patrol would be sent and, with the speed at which he could travel, they were sure to be caught soon.

"We've got to find cover quickly," Sam panted. She was exhausted from having to support much of Jack's weight. Without a word Teal'c came over and took Jack's other arm. Instantly the load became lighter as he took much of the Colonel's weight. She went to take her arm away but Jack grabbed her hand, not letting her leave. She glanced at him and saw his exhausted, sick yet entreating eyes. Nodding, she continued to hold on to him.

They walked for another few hundred yards until they came to a small outcropping of rocks.

"Here Major Carter. There is a small cave." Kraneas pointed over to his right. When they arrived it became obvious it was really more of a depression in the rocks than an actual cave, but it would have to do.

It had been almost 20 minutes since they'd left the ship and as yet they could hear no one following. They helped the Colonel into the back of the small cave and all sat down, closely together. Jack couldn't figure out what was going on. It was clear they had rushed to get under cover, but from what he couldn't figure out. They certainly weren't concealed well enough from any Jaffa who might be searching for them.

It happened without warning. One minute the day was clear, with the sound of birds, insects and a light breeze rustling the trees. The next it was as if something, some great force, had sucked all the air out of the atmosphere. There was a strange moment of dead silence and stillness, as if the whole world had come to a stop and was holding its breath. This was followed, almost immediately, by the loudest 'boom' Jack swore he'd ever heard. The sound was so loud it was impossible to say when it actually ended – his ears continued to throb long after the actual sound had ceased.

It took Jack awhile to figure out what had happened. Everything was pretty fuzzy for him still so he looked at Sam in confusion. When she grinned back at him he knew he felt incredibly happy – but he still couldn't quite figure out why. It was only as he heard things begin to drop out of the sky that he began to figure it out.

Holly Crap! Sam had blown Ba'al's ship to kingdom come! She'd actually done it! A few wires, a circuit or two and some paper clips and she'd actually blown him to hell.

"Hallelujah!" he whispered. Never had he been more serious.

"Yeah Sir. It's great, isn't it." She spoke softly as they continued to remain protected from whatever pieces of Ba'al's ship hurtled to the ground.

"It is. How did you -?" he asked shortly, unable to say much more.

"Well, I realized that the ship we kidnapped had a small shipment of naquada on it. Either Matsya had just received it or was shipping it elsewhere. Anyway, when I saw that I realized I had enough to do some serious damage to the mothership if I could get there. So, I spent some time manufacturing some simple explosive devices. I left some with Daniel and then took some with me. I was able to plant them at a few key places on Ba'al's ship."

"What happened to Ba'al?" he asked the question he'd been wanting to ask for some time.

"He must have some kind of automatic personal defense system. As soon as he became incapacitated from the high frequency sound he was transported out of the room you were in. I saw him 'fade out' just as I entered. I'm sorry Sir. I'd hoped to be able to zat him."

"Hey, you've done enough. Let's just hope he was still on the ship."

"Yes, that's what I thought to. It would be great if we got the slimy bastard."

"Careful there … Major. You're channeling me!"

She grinned back. "Thank you Sir. Can't think of anyone I'd rather 'channel'."

He looked at her, affection shining from his eyes. Yup, his major had done it again. She'd so saved their asses! With a little help of course.

"Hey Teal'c – thanks! And you two." He looked towards Gro'Mal and Kraneas.

"We are honored to have been able to assist you Colonel." Kraneas answered. Gro'Mal just grunted, looking fierce and rather – sour. "We are doubly honored to have been able to assist in the destruction of one of Ba'al's motherships. It is a great day for all of us."

It seemed to take forever before pieces of metal stopped raining from the sky. What was interesting was the fact that none of the pieces were very big. The explosion seemed to have really ripped it apart.

Jack rested, soon falling fast asleep. At first he had simply leaned into Sam but eventually she had wiggled over and helped lay him down, his head in her lap. As she watched him sleep she worried, seeing how pale and weak he was. He was still cold, his skin almost icy. The only good news was that the staff wound was gone.

"How is he?" asked Teal'c who had come and sat beside her.

"Not well, I'm afraid. I was hoping the sarcophagus would help but other than fix his wound it doesn't seem to have done anything."

"No, it will not. According to him", Teal'c nodded with his head towards D'jindra who was being closely guarded, "the substances he was given changed his body and his mind permanently. The sarcophagus does not recognize this as an illness but simply as who he is, therefore it cannot fix him."

"Oh God Teal'c. What are we going to do? He can't die. I just pray to God Janet can fix him."

Teal'c sat silently, wrestling with what to tell Major Carter. He'd promised O'Neill he would not say anything but he did not want to see his friend die. Finally, he compromised.

"Major Carter, it is obvious that O'Neill is better when you are near. I would suggest that you stay with him at all times. Touch him, that seems to bring him comfort. Do not let him go."

Carter looked flushed, a red tinge of embarrassment seeping up into her cheeks. As much as she wanted to she felt uncomfortable about staying so close to Jack. If that was what he needed however, that is what she would do. She'd promised herself no more hiding, no more lies.

"Okay Teal'c. I will stay close." The Jaffa looked strangely pleased by that. Sam wondered briefly if there was something he was hiding. No, she laughed to herself, Teal'c is the most honest person I know. He would never hide anything from her.

A few minutes later they heard a rustling in the forest. Suddenly alert all of them – except O'Neill, who continued to sleep and D'jindra - pulled their weapons, waiting for an attack.

"Hey, anybody here?" Sam put down her zat and breathed a sigh of relief. Daniel was back.

"Over here Daniel", she called softly. A little while later Daniel appeared, sweaty but looking pleased.

"Everybody okay? How's Jack?" The archaeologist had spotted Jack first off and breathing a deep sigh of relief had sat down beside where Sam was holding him.

"He's not doing well Daniel, but at least he's alive."

"Did Ba'al … hurt him?"

"I don't know. I think he was doing something as I opened the door but I can't be sure. He did stick him in the sarcophagus however and that would have taken some time so hopefully he didn't have a lot of time to – interrogate him."

"Hey, 'him' is listening here. Hi Daniel", Jack turned and looked at the dark haired young man.

"Hi Jack. How ya doing?" Daniel squatted down and looked worriedly at his obviously very sick friend.

"Good. Much better now. Hey, great job there Danny. Quite a show you put on."

"Like that did you? I figured you'd appreciate it. I must admit I never could quite see what you got out of blowing things up – but it kind of grows on you." Daniel grinned down at Jack who let out a short laugh.

"Hey Carter."

"Yes Sir?" she looked down at the man who was still lying in her lap.

"Take a memo. I must let Daniel blow things up on our next mission."

"Yes Sir." She smiled, more pleased by his assumption that there _would_ be a next mission than by the joke itself.

"So campers", Jack continued softly. "What's next?"

"Well, once we've determined what's happened to all the Jaffa we were going to try and rescue the rest of the captives – once D'jindra here tells us where they are." Everyone turned and looked at the little man who hadn't said a word since they'd left Ba'al's ship. "Teal'c is going to accompany you and Sam back to the spacecraft. Kraneas and Gro'Mal are going with me."

"Teal'c can go with you and S – Carter can help me back to the ship." He hated to think it – he so wanted to be able to help but knew, at this point, he'd be more of a hindrance than a help.

"Sorry Jack, I don't think she can make it with you without help. Teal'c can come back once you're at the ship. It's not too far from here. Hopefully it hasn't been found."

At this point the attention of the group shifted to D'jindra. With six pairs of eyes focused on him he knew he could no longer avoid the conversation.

"Where are they being kept?" Daniel asked bluntly.

With a sigh D'jindra looked at the younger man. "They are in underground caverns a short way from the compound. My Lord Matsya discovered them many years ago and had tunnels constructed from under the temple to the caverns. Enough food is kept there to last many weeks and there is a fresh supply of water from an underground stream. If you do not know where to look you would not be able to find the entrance."

"You must not have been happy to have been left behind." Kraneas added. A look of anger briefly appeared across the other man's face. No, he hadn't been happy at all. After all his years of faithful service, to have been rewarded like this was eating at his soul.

In answer D'jindra shrugged. These people did not need to know the doubts he was now having towards his god. He had been happy, holding power over all except his Lord. He had used pain and fear to control and it gave him a sense of power. He enjoyed the suffering of others; it was mother's milk to him.

"So, when do we go?" Daniel was anxious to retrieve the captives and get the heck off this planet. They needed to get Jack to medical help as soon as possible.

"We have to make it into the compound and then into the temple. The place is full of Jaffa – very angry, very pissed off Jaffa – who are going to be particularly glad to see us."

"They may be having second thoughts now that their god is dead." Daniel added optimistically.

"We don't know he is dead, Daniel", Sam added quietly. "For all we know he escaped to the planet before his ship blew." As she spoke she had been gently running her fingers through Jack's hair, trying to give him some comfort. It hadn't taken long for the soothing feel of her hands had lulled him back to sleep. He felt so much better than he had before.

"Okay then, how are we going to get in?"

The group sat there for a long time, trying to figure out the best way to make it into the temple. They knew they didn't have long but nothing seemed to be adequate in getting them in. Frustrated, they all tried to get some rest although it was mostly unsuccessful.

"Go in a different way." A soft voice suddenly split the afternoon air.

"What?" Sam looked down at Jack who was awake and who looked a little more alert.

"Go in through a different way. Matsya must have an entrance or exit closer to the caverns. He surely would have had an exit." They all stared at Jack as if he had three legs. Okay, he maybe sick but it hadn't been that bad an idea.

"You're brilliant Sir!" Sam reached down and kissed him, seemingly unaware of what she was doing. Teal'c and Daniel looked at each other, duel eyebrows raised.

"Yes, O'Neill is correct", Teal'c interjected. "A Goa'uld would make sure of an exit. He would not wish to get trapped. How do we find this place?"

Jack turned his head until he was looking at D'jindra. "You! You must know. Don't tell me Matsya's right hand man didn't know the escape hatch! Where is it?"

D'jindra looked angry, his last hope now gone. Glaring at O'Neill he was suddenly glad he'd done what he had to this man. Unless he and the woman got together he was as good as dead. D'jindra hoped it would be soon.

When it became obvious that D'jindra was not about to answer, Teal'c stood up and walked over to the ugly little man. He reached down and took him by the arm and lifted him to a standing position.

"You do not seem to understand", Teal'c continued, "if you are unwilling to help us there is no point in keeping you alive." The big man turned to O'Neill. "Permission to kill him Colonel." At those words D'jindra squeaked and then began to babble, begging to be spared, he knew where it was, yadda, yadda, yadda.

"I suggest you tell us now', added Daniel. "I think Teal'c is feeling antsy. He hasn't had a chance to kill someone in a long time. This might be what he needs.

That was the last straw as far as D'jindra was concerned. He began to tell the team everything he knew, from where the entrance was to what kind of defenses the caverns had. By the time he was finished everyone was raring to go – everyone but Jack, who was again asleep, and Sam, who cared nothing for anything right now except getting the Colonel home and well,

"Hey Carter", Jack's voice again floated up to her. He'd woken up again, mostly likely feeling her nervousness. "Everything will be fine, don't worry."

"I know Sir – luck of SG1, we'll be fine."

"Nah, this time I think it's the 'luck o' the Irish!' We'll get 'em back, don't worry." As his eyes once again drooped Sam knew that this was the time for honestly.

"I'm not worried about them Jack. It's you I'm thinking of." That startled him enough so that his eyes opened. Through his weakness and tiredness he tried to see her clearly, and to understand her.

"What?" he asked, trying to make sense of her words.

"You're the one I'm thinking of. I want you safe at home, under Janet's care. I love you too much to lose you now. You just hold on Sir. We'll make it home."

Jack lay there bemused. Carter just said she loved him. God, he hoped she meant it. Looking up at her, her eyes swimming in tears, he smiled.

"Yeah Carter, we'll make it home. And I love you too."


	28. Rescue

**_Hi everyone! I wanted to say a special thank you again to all my wonderful reviewers! I've received over 300! which is so exciting. I can't tell you how much I love hearing from you. A special note to all those who send anonymous reviews - I can't respond directly but you're great - keep em coming!_**

Daniel had watched his two friends as they sat together. He was terribly worried about Jack and hoped he would make it back home to Janet's care. He was happy however, to see that he and Sam seemed to be working things out – at least if their expressions were anything to go by.

He sighed, wishing everything didn't have to be so complicated. If Jack did make it, and Janet was able to 'fix' him there was still the matter of the regulations. That was unless Jack decided it was time to retire. Somehow, knowing the man, he didn't think that was going to happen anytime soon.

They decided to wait until dark before leaving the cave and attempting the rescue mission. Sam and Teal'c were going to help Jack back to their cloaked ship and then Teal'c would join them. What they were going to do at that point was still not decided.

They knew that Matsya had around 20 Jaffa – not too many compared to most Goa'uld, but enough to cause problems.

Then of course was the issue of what to do with everyone once they'd been rescued. Besides the 'breeding' women there were slaves, both male and female, children and the breeder men. None of them knew quite what to do about them. On the one hand, they were as much victims as anyone else – on the other hand many of them had been responsible for raping the women in order to 'impregnate' them. According to some reports there were those that had tried to refuse but had been forced to breed on pain of mutilation or death. Those ones they could forgive. It was the ones who had taken to their task with pleasure, using the women for their own enjoyment, that were the ones they didn't quite know how to deal with.

It might be a moot point, thought Daniel. They probably couldn't get everyone out anyway. Heck, they might not even be successful in getting anyone out.

"Takin' after Carter there?" a soft voice spoke up in the gathering dusk. Daniel turned and looked down at Jack. Sam had left to take a much-needed 'break' and Jack was on his own. He suddenly looked much worse than a moment ago; the shivering getting so bad that the coats covering him were in danger of falling off.

"Jack, are you okay?" he asked worriedly. The other man just shrugged – or at least it looked like an attempt at a shrug – the shaking making it almost impossible to tell. When his friend didn't answer Daniel continued. "Why am I taking after Sam?"

"Thinkin' too much. It'll ….be okay." Daniel really started to worry at the shakiness of his voice. The man looked and sounded like he was on his last legs. He got down and tried tucking the various jackets more firmly around him. He then reached out and felt Jack's forehead. Rather than the heat he had expected he was startled to feel the Colonel's ice-cold skin.

"I know Jack. Everything will be fine." God, he hoped so. Where was Sam? She seemed to know what to do to help O'Neill. He glanced over at Teal'c who also seemed worried and who was scanning the forest in the direction Sam had gone to use the 'latrine'.

"Teal'c, is something wrong?" he whispered to his friend. Jack had closed his eyes and appeared to be resting – or at least trying to.

"No, nothing is wrong. I am simply looking for Major Carter."

"She's only been gone for a couple of minutes. I'm sure she's okay."

"It is not Major Carter about whom I am worried."

"Huh?" Daniel looked at the Jaffa for a moment but then realized Teal'c was now looking down at Jack. It was clear that Teal'c too was afraid for Jack and wanted to Sam to return.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Sam came back and made a beeline straight for Jack. Sitting down she gently lifted his head and shoulders and rested them in her lap.

Daniel sat watching a bit longer. Suddenly he was sure that Jack's shivering seemed to get better. He was surprised but figured that jack was just a lot warmer being held by Sam. Still, he looked like he had suddenly regained some color as well. Interesting.

He stood up and walked over to Teal'c and sat down. It was at least another half an hour or so before they needed to head out.

"I'm really concerned Teal'c. I don't know if he's going to make it."

"He will make it. He is O'Neill."

"Yeah – but he's also human."

"I also know that he is one of the strongest humans I know. He will not let this defeat him."

"I sure hope you're right." There was a pause as both men looked over to where Sam was again stroking Jack's head and hair.

"It's amazing isn't it?" Teal'c turned and looked enquiringly at Daniel. "I mean, to see how good Sam is at looking after him. She seems to know what to do instinctively. I mean look, Jack seems better already."

"I believe he is."

"Really? So suddenly?"

Teal'c looked at Daniel until the archaeologist began to feel uncomfortable. It almost looked as if Teal'c were debating whether to tell him something or not.

"I believe that Major Carter should stay close by O'Neill's side. Her presence gives him the strength that he needs."

"Yeah, I think you're right. She's not going to be happy missing the rescue though."

"I believe you are incorrect Daniel Jackson. I do not believe she is even thinking of the rescue. Her whole focus is on O'Neill."

Daniel looked again at the two officers. Teal'c was right. Sam was paying little or no attention to anyone else. God, this was going to be hard when they got back.

"I feel so badly for them." He whispered, more to himself than anyone else. Teal'c however, replied.

"As do I Daniel Jackson, as do I."

It was finally time to get going. Jack had insisted that he could walk so they'd let him stand. That had lasted all of two seconds before he collapsed as if his legs were made of jello. Without further ado, Teal'c lifted him in a modified fireman carry and began to walk through the woods. Sam followed.

Daniel, Gro'Mal, Kraneas and D'jindra then turned the other direction. Daniel motioned with his hand for D'jindra to lead the way – which he did after a moment's hesitation.

"If he tries anything, shoot him." Said Daniel to Gro'Mal, pointing at his zat. Gro'Mal simply nodded.

It took just under 40 minutes before they reached their destination. D'jindra warned them to keep down and be quiet. They had come to a small, unremarkable clearing in the woods. No one, looking at it, would suspect anything. After ensuring no one was near, D'jindra walked up to what looked like a fallen tree trunk. Pointing at it he then stepped back. Daniel and Kraneas approached while Gro'Mal continued to keep his eye on the evil little man.

"What is it?" Daniel asked, looking around but not seeing anything.

"It is here. The entrance to the caverns." He pointed down again at the trunk. Daniel squatted down and looked everywhere but could see nothing.

"I don't see anything."

"You are not supposed to", answered D'jindra, his voice laced with sarcasm. "That is why it is called a 'secret' entrance." The little gnome of a man reached down and pushed something. Instantly the 'top' of the trunk opened and a ladder going down into the ground could be seen.

"Whoa! Won't there be someone watching the entrance?" Daniel stepped back and held his gun in front of him.

"Possibly although they may be further down the corridor. It is more likely that my Lord has most of his Jaffa guarding the compound entrance. That is where he would expect any attack to come. I am the only other one who knows of this entrance."

"You and the builders!" Daniel glanced up and saw a strange expression on D'jindra's face. Okay, he suspected that the builders didn't long outlive the completion of these tunnels.

"How are we going to do this?" Daniel asked. He didn't want to send anyone down to their death.

"I will go first", Gro'Mal grunted. He was a man of few words but immense courage. "Once I have ensured it is safe the rest of you may follow."

"Are you sure?" Kraneas looked at his companion of the last two years. They had never become friends, but he had developed a respect for the taciturn Jaffa who was willing to risk his life in order to destroy the power the Goa'uld held over much of the Galaxy.

"I am sure. I expect you to 'watch my back' as the Tauri expression goes."

"Of course. What about D'jindra?" Everyone looked to Daniel who had become the 'defacto' leader of this little mission. Boy, had he come a long way since that first mission to Abydos!

"We can't afford to leave him here to escape. I guess we'll have to take him along."

"But he will give us away." Gro'Mal was also a Jaffa who did not trust easily – a trait which had saved his life many times over.

"Yes, that's why I'm afraid we'll have to tie his hands and gag him." Daniel looked at D'jindra, "sorry about that but I'm afraid we don't trust you." Gro'Mal also volunteered to tie Matsya's henchman up. This was one task he seemed to enjoy.

"Kraneas, can you go back and meet Teal'c at the spot we agreed upon and bring him here. We're going to need all the help we can get."

It was almost an hour later before Kraneas and Teal'c returned to the clearing.

"How's everything?" Daniel asked.

"It is fine, Daniel Jackson. O'Neill and Major Carter are safely aboard the vessel. She will have it ready to leave when we return with the captives."

"Okay, let's go then." With Gro'Mal in the lead the troop made their way to the entrance. The quiet Jaffa made his way down the ladder and gestured it was safe before the others followed.

"Which way now?" Daniel turned to a gagged and bound D'jindra. The man looked furious but had no choice. With a sharp nod he indicated the corridor on the right.

"Remember, if you trick us I will kill you." growled Gro'Mal. He was not kidding.

The five men made their way slowly down the dark and damp corridor. They could hear nothing but the dripping of water, a clear sign that the underground stream was close.

Teal'c, who had taken over the lead, stopped and lifted his hand. Everyone else stopped and listened. Very faintly the sound of children crying could be heard. They were coming to the place where the prisoners were being held.

With gestures reminiscent of Jack, Daniel indicated how the impromptu team was to split up and move forward. He and Teal'c went first, followed by D'jindra and then Gro'Mal and Kraneas brought up the rear.

After a few minutes they came to a wooden doorway which was barred on the corridor side. It was clear, from the voices of women and children inside, that Matsya was keeping his slaves locked up.

Teal'c carefully lifted the bar and slowly opened the door. As the space grew wider the voices from within began to fade until there was silence. With a deep breath, Teal'c pushed the door the last few inches and then moved to the side, out of range of possible weapons. After a couple of minutes, when nothing had happened, Teal'c moved and looked into the room.

"Martia!" Daniel exclaimed upon seeing the young woman sitting at one of the tables, her two young daughters held tightly in her arms. The archaeologist walked into the room, closely followed by the others.

"Daniel Jackson! Why are you here?" Martia asked. She suddenly saw D'jindra and gasped until she saw that he was tied. "What has happened?"

"Quickly. We've come to get you out of here. Are these all the women and children?" He looked around the room and saw that there must have been at least 40 women and even more children. Many of the women were in various stages of pregnancy and a few had young infants with them.

"Yes, as far as we know."

"Okay good." Daniel turned to Teal'c. "Can you get them out of here and up to the surface? You can take them to the ship." Unfortunately, neither Gro'Mal or Kraneas knew where to find it.

"How many others are there? Do you know?"

Martia looked up. "There are the men, both breeders and slaves. I think there are no more than about 15 all together." Some of the women started to murmur – clearly not liking the idea of bringing the men with them.

"They are rapists! Leave them to Lord Matsya!" The murmuring began to get louder. Then one of them noticed D'jindra and pointed him out to the others. The voices began to get louder.

"Teal'c, get them out of here before they give themselves away. The rest of us will check out the others." He turned to the women. "You must be quiet if you wish to escape. We will bring the men. Some of them are innocent. We will watch them carefully and when we are safe you can tell us which ones have hurt you." Daniel worried that this was going to become a terrible problem they would have to sort out.

As the women began silently following Teal'c Martia stopped and went over to Daniel.

"I am sorry. Your friends have disappeared. They were here but they were gone before we came here to hide."

"That's all right Martia. They're safe. They escaped and they're waiting for you."

Martia looked surprised. "Is O'Neill okay? I am surprised he is alive – unless he did what had to be done." Daniel looked at her and started to ask what she meant.

"Daniel Jackson, we must leave!" Teal'c was gesturing to Martia who turned and smiled at Daniel and left.

'Wonder what that was about?' Daniel wondered to himself. 'What was it Jack had to do?' Knowing he couldn't worry about it now he and the others made their way out of the room and continued down the corridor.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Jack had been sleeping since they'd arrived back at the ship. She'd given him another dose of D'jindra's medicine hoping it would help. Looking into the little bottle she worried that there were only one or two more doses. They had to make it back to Janet.

She spent a few minutes getting everything ready. Knowing it was going to be an extremely crowded trip back she hoped there was enough water and supplies.

She'd been playing around with the navigation device which was fortunately like most typical Goa'uld ships. She'd finally discovered a planet which seemed to have a Stargate and that was within a days flight of the planet they were on. She set the coordinates and then simply sat back to wait for Daniel, Teal'c and the others to return.

In the meantime she watched Jack as he slept. He'd been in a pretty bad way when they'd gotten back to the ship. She'd immediately given him the medicine and had sat beside him for a while, simply holding his hand. He'd appeared to relax a bit but now he was as bad off as ever.

With a soft hum of worry she stood up and went over to him. She didn't know if it helped him but it certainly made her feel better to be close. She laid her hand on his cheek and felt the frigid temperature of his skin. This was so strange – she'd never seen or heard of anything like this before.

As she sat waiting, she kept her hand on him and thought what a special – although sometimes highly irritating – man this was. She grinned when she thought of some of his answers to the various 'evil villains' that had captured them over the years. It always astounded her how he was able to keep his sense of humor and his sense of the absurd after all that he'd been through.

Don't be ridiculous Sam, she said to herself. The humor is how Ja- the Colonel _deals_ with all the crap in his life. I guess he figures it's better to laugh than cry!

She was working hard to keep that very idea in her mind because right now she knew it would be very easy to burst into tears. She was worried, anxious, tired and still felt terriby nauseated. The thought of being pregnant kept popping into her mind.

Part of her knew that a pregnancy would really screw with her career and probably her life. Another part of her – probably the biggest part if she were honest with herself – was excited as hell about the possibility. She wasn't getting any younger and the thought of having a child to love – and a child of Jack's no less! – was amazingly seductive. She grinned when she thought what kind of child she and Jack would produce! She wondered what Charlie had been like. He was a cute kid, that she remembered. She expected he'd been mischievous like his father – but probably charming as hell.

She glanced down at Jack and noticed that he was resting much easier now. It seemed when she was near he was - ! That was strange. The more she thought about it the more she realized that he truly was better when she was close. Anytime she left, even when he was sleeping or unconscious, he would begin to shiver and go extremely pale. When she was close, and especially when she was touching him, he seemed to settle.

To make sure, and prove she wasn't imagining it, she stood up and moved away from him. It didn't take long at all – no more than a couple of minutes – for the shaking to increase in intensity. She watched for another couple of minutes and then went back and sat beside him and took his hand. Sure enough, he settled within seconds.

She tried the experiment a few times until she was sure of what she was seeing. Okay, somehow her presence helped. But was it physical or emotional. Was it just that his subconscious needed her close by – or was it a physical reaction?

Whatever the reason, she knew that she had to stick close to him. She had to get him back to Janet.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Shh", Daniel held his finger up upon hearing voices – male voices this time. They didn't know if they had found the prisoners or the Jaffa. Daniel spared a quick thought, wishing Jaffa had the same 'voice changing thingy' that the Goa'uld had.

"I believe those to be Matsya's Jaffa, Dr. Jackson." Kraneas had been listening carefully. "They are speaking Goa'uld – and it's the pure Goa'uld spoken by Jaffa and their masters, not the dialects spoken by most humans."

"Okay – so quiet it is." Daniel motioned for the others to follow. They had to try and see if they could locate the men without the Jaffa being any the wiser!

They had almost gotten by the closed room when D'jindra intentionally threw himself against the door before Gro'Mal could stop him. Turning and laughing at the others D'jindra waited for his master to come and save him.

"Damn!" Daniel knew this was serious. Taking up a careful position behind a bend in the tunnel, he waited for the Jaffa. Kraneas and Gro'Mal did much the same, waiting for the attacking force to come out.

For the next few minutes a raging underground battle took place between Matsya's soldiers and the three man (or Jaffa, Tokra, Human) team. D'jindra was hiding carefully out of the line of fire.

It quickly became apparent to Daniel that they were not going to be able to retrieve the men and get back out of the underground caverns. The only way to make it back, safely, was to turn around now and hot-foot it out of here. He motioned for the others to fall back while he covered them. He could still see the figure of D'jindra cowering over to the side. Daniel spared a brief thought for the little man. He wondered it if was worth it to try and take him with them.

As the team was backing out, heading back the way they'd come, a blood-curdling scream ripped the night open. This was not a scream of pain or loss, but instead of anger and it was coming from behind them.

Daniel turned around and there was Lord Matsya running towards them. "What did you do with my women and children?" he was yelling. "They are mine and you have stolen them from me. You will die for this!"

"Ah, well." Daniel spoke, answering the Goa'uld who had started this whole journey. "You actually stole them, not us. We're simply here to take them back to their home planets. If I were you I'd simply work on remaining hidden. I think Ba'als soldiers are spitten' mad so you probably want to stay inside." He turned to head out.

It was at that moment that Matsya glanced over and saw his chief torturer and lieutenant. With another scream of rage he walked over and pulled the gag from around D'jindra's mouth.

"It was you!" he screamed. "You betrayed me! You deserve to die for this." Matsya brought out his hand in which a sharp dagger had been concealed and turned towards D'jindra."

The little man was clearly terrified and tried to beg. He backed away from the wrath of his God. His last thought, as he fell to the floor with a knife buried in his chest, was that Lord Matsya had not deserved his devotion.

Matsya then turned and tried to attack one of his enemies, but Gro'Mal simply grabbed him from behind and held on.

"I will kill you, all of you, for what you have done!" The Goa'uld was practically crying – his whole 'business' destroyed by a couple of Tauri' and their allies.

"I do not believe you will be able to accomplish that." Responded Teal'c. "We are leaving your planet and hope never to see you again!"

Matsya laughed bitterly. He knew his plans were dead, destroyed by Ba'al and the Tauri. Before they left however, he wanted to leave his enemies with something painful to think about.

"Is the one named 'O'Neill' dead as of yet?"

Daniel turned, a frown between his brows. "No, why would you ask that?"

"Because my men gave him Kopra and Roshu. Combined they are deadly, unless O'Neill is ready to do what must be done. I expect he would rather die first. Poor man – he doesn't have much time left!"

As Daniel stood there confused, wanting to ask for more information, the Goa'uld suddenly pulled a hand device from his robe. He lifted it to attack Daniel but Kraneas was there, with a zat. Once, twice, the zat sent a powerful charge through Matsya. Once more and he was gone.

"Thanks!" Daniel turned to Kraneas who simply nodded in reply. "Let's go folks, before the rest of the Jaffa figure this out." Some were still in the room, firing and making it impossible to go after the men. They had effectively blocked the corridor.

"What about the men?" Gro'Mal asked.

"Nothing we can do now. Maybe we can come back. If Ba'al's gone up in smoke with his ship his Jaffa are going to have other things to worry about than a few male slaves. We can come back and get them."

The newly formed 'team' made their way back to the surface and hurried off towards the ship. Before they left they made sure the 'tree' was closed and all traces had disappeared.

They now had to get everybody home safely!


	29. Arrival

It took longer than they'd hoped to get all the prisoners out of the underground cavern. Many of the women were in an advanced stage of pregnancy and therefore were moving slowly. As well, there were quite a number of young children who needed help getting up the steep ladder to the outside.

Daniel's small troop helped and watched for any of Matsya's Jaffa. They'd managed to pick off a couple but then the initial attack had stopped. They hoped it didn't mean they were regrouping for a second attack.

By the time the last of the women and children had made it to the surface Gro'Mal indicated that he heard Jaffa advancing to their position.

"Go!" Daniel waved the big man forward.

"What of you Daniel Jackson?" (What was it about these Jaffa, Daniel wondered? Did they always have to be so formal?"

"Don't worry about me, just go. I'll be up in a minute." As the Jaffa followed the rest up the ladder Daniel carefully laid the last of his naquada 'bombs' around the base of the ladder. He then quickly began to climb. Just before he got to the top he heard the Jaffa burst into the small chamber below. He frantically pulled himself up the last few inches but didn't quite make it before the sound of staff weapons reached his ears.

Even more unfortunate was the staff blast which reached his leg. With an 'ooph' he reached the top but would have fallen back had it not been for the strong arms which reached down and grabbed him.

Looking up, he was relieved to see the matching faces of two Jaffa – two 'friendly' Jaffa pulling him to safety. It was only then that he felt the burning on his leg.

"Ow! Shi – crap!" He looked around at all the young faces staring at him. He didn't want to be responsible for teaching alien children some of the more colourful earth words. "That hurts!"

Just then an explosion pierced the air and those closest to the hole were thrown to the ground. Once the dust had settled Teal'c stood and looked down but the hole was gone, now filled with rocks and dirt.

"It is sealed but we must depart quickly. Ba'al's forces may have heard the noise. Are you able to travel Daniel Jackson?"

"Oh yeah, no problem Teal'c." Daniel stood and promptly fell back down, the pain now burning fiercely. "Or maybe not!" Gro'Mal instantly strode over, reached down and pulled Daniel to his feet. He then swung the Tauri over his shoulder.

"Now we must leave", the fierce Jaffa grunted. Teal'c nodded.

"Kraneas, can you lead the way. I will follow and watch for Jaffa." With that they all headed out, as quickly as they could with the prisoners.

Teal'c kept looking back, worried that at any moment he would see either Ba'al's or Matsya's soldiers following. It was more likely to be Ba'al's as he predicted that Matsya's Jaffa would prefer to stay hidden.

"Teal'c" a fierce whisper came back to him from the man now hanging upside down over Gro'Mal's shoulder.

"Yes?" he walked closer to his friend.

"Anyone coming? Ooph" he cried as his nose hit Gro'Mal's armour on the back. "Hey, be careful there!"

"Not yet but I must watch carefully. How are you doing?"

"Oh fine. Nothing that one of Janet's 'happy cocktails' won't cure. God, I wish we could go faster."

"It is difficult with the women and children but so far it does not appear that we are being followed."

The group kept walking, far from silently, as both women and children cried out whenever they stumbled or fell. It was a miracle, thought Daniel, that they'd been able to get this far without being found.

It took over an hour but they finally made it to the clearing where Sam and Jack were waiting on the ship. Kraneas had stopped everyone, telling them to be quiet, and had checked out the area. When it appeared everything was okay he gestured for them to continue.

The ship had remained cloaked but the returning warriors knew where it was located. Teal'c walked up and, reaching out, touched the hull with his hand. He then knocked, giving the pre-arranged signal. The outer door opened and Sam was waiting.

"Did you get everyone?" she asked.

"We were unable to retrieve the male prisoners but we got all the women and children."

"Okay, let's get them inside quickly." Gro'Mal came first, still carrying Daniel.

"What happened?" Sam asked, running over to Daniel. He looked at her from his position hanging over Gro'Mal's shoulder.

"Hi Sam."

"Hi Daniel", she grinned slightly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little staff weapon burn. I'll be fine."

"Good", she said in relief. "Put him down over there, beside Colonel O'Neill. I'll look at him in a minute. She then turned to help as the women and children began to stream in.

Many of them looked frightened, remembering the all too recent journey in this vessel. Sam tried to reassure them and had them led back to the 'holding rooms'. The conditions weren't much better than on the first journey but at least there was water and they would be free to use the latrine.

It took a few minutes but finally the last of the women got on board. Teal'c came forward to help Sam.

"We are ready to depart Major Carter. Everyone is settled. Do you need my assistance?"

"Yes Teal'c, please. Can you watch and make sure no one sneaks up on us? I have to lower the shields briefly on take-off. I may need you to man the weapons if there is an attack." He nodded and sat in the co-pilot's seat as she readied the spacecraft.

Sam lowered the shields and began to power up the engine. Almost instantly staff weapon blasts could be heard from outside.

"We have been discovered Major Carter. We must depart quickly."

"I know Teal'c, I know." She was moving as quickly as possible but couldn't do anything about getting the engines on line sooner. As the ship was rocked with more blasts she prayed that there was no serious damage.

"Yes!" The engines began and without further hesitation she lifted the craft into the air. "Here we go." Sam reached down and flicked the 'on' switch for the shields and immediately turned the craft and headed in the opposite direction. The Jaffa continued to shoot in the direction she had originally been heading.

They watched as the men on the ground grew smaller and smaller. The ship shook a bit and Sam was worried that something vital may have been hit. After a few seconds it seemed to settle and they continued to head out of the atmosphere.

"I think we made it Teal'c." Sam relaxed and looked over to the man beside her and smiled.

"I believe you are correct Major Carter. Congratulations."

"No, it was all of us who did it Teal'c. Can you watch her for now? I've input the coordinates of the planet with the Stargate. I need to check on Daniel."

"I will look after things here, do not worry."

Sam walked over to the back of the cock-pit where Jack and Daniel lay side by side. Jack was asleep or unconscious, although shivering quite violently. Daniel had propped himself up and was looking down at the Colonel, a frown between his eyes.

"Daniel, how are you doing?" Sam squatted down carrying the 'first aid' supplies she had been able to pull together.

"Fine. It's not that bad, just hurts like hell."

"Yeah, that's a staff blast for you. But I should clean it up and bandage it. It's going to be a while before we get home and you don't want to get an infection." She reached down and carefully pulled the material away from the burn on the side of his lower leg. Daniel was right, it wasn't too deep. The fact that it hurt so badly was actually a good thing. It's when a burn _doesn't_ hurt that you have to worry as it can mean nerve damage. As she worked on his leg she noticed that Daniel's sole attention was on Jack. He didn't even seem to notice when she cleaned his leg, except for a small wince.

"Sam, he's getting worse."

"I know Daniel. I've run out of the medicine. We'll just have to get him back to Janet."

"Is there nothing else we can do?"

"I'll stay close to him if Teal'c can pilot this spacecraft. It seems to help when I'm near."

"Yeah" Daniel kept staring, not listening too closely to what Sam was saying. "I wish there was something we could do. He looks so miserable. Why is he so cold?" He looked up at her then, a puzzled expression on his face.

"I don't know Daniel. I've never seen anything like it. Something in the poison he was given is affecting his system. All we can do is wait." Sam finished bandaging Daniel's leg and went over to Jack. Reaching out with her hand she gently touched his tousled hair.

She waited for him to settle, hoping that her touch would again bring him relief. After a few minutes it did, but not nearly as much as before. With the medicine having run out she was afraid he would become very ill. Closing her eyes she stayed by his side, offering what comfort she could.

Daniel rested for a while but started to feel nervous. He kept looking at Jack and worrying and yet there was nothing he could _do_. Finally, after a couple of hours, he struggled to his feet.

"What are you doing Daniel? You have to be careful of that leg."

"Yes, I know Sam. I just need to get up and stretch for a while. My butt is sore. I'm going to go and visit Teal'c for a while."

"Okay. Tell him to call me if he wants me to take over."

"No, I think you'd better stay with Jack. Teal'c will be just fine."

He limped over and sat beside his friend who looked at him and nodded.

"How is your leg Daniel Jackson?"

"Fine Teal'c. A bit sore is all."

"And O'Neill? How is he faring?"

"Not so good I'm afraid. Sam thinks he's getting worse. We ran out of medicine. I just wish we knew what was wrong with him." He glanced over at Teal'c and was surprised to see an expression of indecision on his face, something rarely seen on the Jaffa.

Teal'c was a straightforward kind of man – well Jaffa. You usually got what you saw. And no one would ever accuse him of being indecisive. He lived by a simple code; one of honor and sacrifice. So, to see him looking as if he was unsure of something threw Daniel's world a bit off kilter.

"What is it Teal'c?" the younger man looked at his friend. He could have sworn that Teal'c was actually biting his lip. Certainly he glanced over at Daniel, uncertain whether to speak.

"You know, don't you?" It came to Daniel suddenly. Somehow Teal'c had figured out what this was about.

"I do." He spoke quietly with a glance to where Sam was sitting.

"Well for God's sake, tell us. Why would you keep it a secret? We may be able to help him." Sam glanced up, disturbed by Daniel's loud exclamation.

"Shhh! You must be quiet Daniel. Major Carter cannot know."

"What? What are you talking about Teal'c? What is this?" Daniel was seriously wondering if his friend had lost his marbles. "This isn't that 'women are evil' thing again is it? You don't think that Sam is going to harm him or something." Please let it not be that. He couldn't deal with that right now.

"No Daniel. I am not suffering the effects of that any longer. I do not believe Major Carter to be a threat. I am only doing what O'Neill made me promise to do."

"Jack? What did he make you promise?"

"That I would not say anything to Major Carter about what was wrong with him."

"What? What are you saying Teal'c? Why wouldn't Jack want her to know? She knows more about first aid than any of us. What could be so terrible that he wouldn't want her to kn - " abruptly he stopped and looked at Teal'c. "Oh my God Teal'c, it's because he is dying, isn't it? He doesn't want to worry her? Well, it's not working because I think she knows." He looked at his friend in exasperation but caught a strange look on his face. "That's _not_ it? What then? Come on, you have to tell me."

Teal'c looked over at Daniel seriously. Could the archaeologist refrain from telling Major Carter? He doubted it. In some ways this would be a good thing. It would allow him to keep his promise to O'Neill and yet insure his survival by letting Daniel tell the Major what was needed to save him. He couldn't decide what to do.

Teal'c sighed, knowing that by telling Daniel and letting him tell Samantha he was in essence betraying O'Neill's confidence anyway. He looked at Daniel again.

"I will tell you but you must swear, on everything you hold dear, that you will not tell Major Carter what I am about to tell you. This promise must be kept no matter how you feel. O'Neill would hate both of us were you to reveal what I am about to say."

Daniel realized he had rarely heard Teal'c speak so solemnly before. He stared into his friend's eyes, knowing this was deadly important. After a moment he nodded, fully aware that this may be one of the more difficult challenges of his life.

"O'Neill was ordered to mate with and impregnate Major Carter. He refused." Both of the men understood exactly why O'Neill had refused such a command. "When he would not comply D'jindra gave him two substances which would increase his desire and his fertility – and that of Major Carter. The problem was that they were never to be given together. For women they have little effect. For men they create a terrible addiction, which has only one antidote. Without that antidote the man will eventually die."

"Okay, so Jack is addicted and needs an antidote. So, what is he addicted to and what's the big deal about telling Sam? She'll understand. It's not like he started drinking or taking drugs on his own. This was an alien induced addiction and she might know a way to get a hold of the antidote, or even to manufacture it."

"No Daniel Jackson. You see, it is she to whom O'Neill is addicted, and she is also the antidote."

"Huh?" Daniel looked thoroughly confused. "How can he be 'addicted' to her? That doesn't make sense."

"I do not understand how it works. All I know is that D'jindra told Ba'al that the chemicals produced a serious addiction in the man to the woman he was with at the time he received them. According to him there is no cure. Somehow the substances change the man's physiology and brain chemistry permanently – that is why the sarcophagus did not work to heal him."

"Okay, so you really mean it when you say that he's addicted to her. Hey, is that why he always seems better when she's around?" Teal'c nodded but again cautioned Daniel to keep his voice down.

"I believe so. That is why I suggested to Major Carter that she stay close to him. It seems to bring some relief."

"Okay, so maybe this is true, but you said that the antidote is Sam. Her presence only helps him a bit – it doesn't make him better. So how can she be the antidote?" When Teal'c didn't answer Daniel repeated the question. "Teal'c, you know something. Come on, tell me."

"They must 'Mai'thun' Daniel Jackson. If they do not, O'Neill will die."

"Mai'thun? What is that? Wait a second, I think I heard that before but what does it mean?" Teal'c said nothing more, worried that he had said as much. Daniel was muttering to himself, clearly trying to figure out what the word meant.

"Mai'thun – could be a derivation of the word 'maiy' which means - " Daniel stopped dead. Teal'c heard him take a sharp breath, the sound harsh in the stillness of the cabin. "Oh my God! Teal'c, do you mean they have to …?"

"Yes Daniel Jackson, they must. It is the only way."

"Crap! That's why Jack didn't want you to tell Sam. He doesn't want her to know because she'd insist on helping him."

"I believe that is so Daniel Jackson."

"The idiot! The stupid moron. What the hell is he thinking? He'd rather die than tell Sam? I'm going to kill him!"

"Would that not defeat the purpose?"

"I don't mean _really kill him_. I mean I'm going to, to, God I don't know what. Actually, I don't have to do anything cause when Sam finds out _she's_ gonna kill him."

"If he doesn't die first."

That brought Daniel down to earth with a crash. "Teal'c, what are we gonna do with those two? They obviously love each other. This could be just what they need to get around the regulations and actually try and have a life together."

"I believe O'Neill feels that being forced to come together is not a good way to begin a relationship. He feels it would end up causing resentment and anger."

"Yeah, that's still better than death!" Daniel sighed. He could actually kind of understand where Jack was coming from. There would always be doubt from both sides that they were together out of love and not necessity.

"Let's hope Janet can fix him then." Teal'c looked over and nodded. After a few minutes of silence Daniel spoke again. "Hey, do you think that it's a one shot deal?"

"I do not understand what you mean." Teal'c answered.

"I mean, do you think that if they uh 'mai'thun' that Jack will be cured. I mean, if they only have to do it once then maybe they could just acknowledge they love each other and go from there."

"I do not know. All I know is that D'jindra said there was no cure and that the condition was permanent. Whether they would have to continue to – I do not know."

"No. Hell, sounds awful doesn't it?" Daniel snorted. "Having a sickness for which the only cure is sex! I just wish they could have worked things out before this, then it wouldn't be so bad."

"We can only hope that Dr. Frasier can help."

"Yeah. In the meantime it's going to be hard not to say anything." As Teal'c looked at him sternly Daniel quickly continued. "Don't worry, I won't tell Sam."

"Hey, what are you guys whispering about over there?" Sam had gotten up and was moving closer. "It sounds like you are telling secrets or something."

"No Major Carter. We simply did not wish to disturb O'Neill."

Sam looked back at the Colonel with a worried frown. "I don't think you could – he's unconscious. I was coming to check and see how far we are from the planet with the Gate."

Teal'c looked at some of the controls. "I believe we should arrive in a little under 18 hours. Are you concerned that O'Neill may not make it?"

"Sam?" Daniel asked when she didn't reply.

"I just don't know." Both men could hear the sob in her voice. Daniel stood up and put his arms around her.

"Come on. You need to rest. We'll make sure he makes it, okay?" He led her over to where Jack was lying. Daniel then went and collected some jackets and laid them on the ground next to the Colonel. "Lie down Sam. You need to sleep. Just cuddle up against Jack – that way you'll warm him up and you'll be able to rest better yourself."

Sam looked at the Colonel and then up at Daniel. She should feel embarrassed, uncomfortable at the way he assumed she'd sleep next to Jack. Instead she just felt tired and sick. With a slight nod she got down and scooted up next to Jack. Putting one arm over top of him she rested her head on his chest. She even went so far as to hook her one leg over top of his. She justified it by saying to herself that it would help keep him warm. Although that was true, the more urgent need for her was simply to be as close to him as she could get.

She didn't know why, but as each hour passed she felt herself craving his touch and his closeness. She had started to fantasize about lying with him naked, pressed up against his body. She felt horribly guilty for even thinking such a thing when he was lying sick and possibly dying. The problem was that no matter what she did her mind kept flipping back to those images and those cravings.

She also continued to feel sick and dizzy. The next 18 hours were going to seem the longest in her life. As she drifted off to sleep she had one last thought. Opening her eyes she looked at Daniel who was standing watching her.

"How are the women?" She was asleep before he answered.

"Teal'c."

"Yes Daniel Jackson?"

"I'm gonna go back and check and see how the women and kids are doing. Call me if you need me."

"I will."

Daniel opened the door into the back of the ship and went in search of Kraneas. Things seemed pretty quiet so he hoped that that indicated everything was okay. As he got nearer the holding area he could hear some soft voices and one or two cries but nothing that sounded serious.

"Kraneas", he called. The Tokra was sitting talking to one of the women. He stood up when Daniel called and, excusing himself, walked over.

"How are things back here?" Daniel asked.

"They are reasonably well. At first the women were quite upset and fearful but between Gro'Mal and myself we were able to calm them down. Many of the women – the ones who were with Matsya the longest, are worried that they have no where to go. The ones who are pregnant are especially worried. Even those who know where they are from are saying they do not want to return home – they would not be accepted by their people."

"Yeah, it's the same throughout the universe, isn't it? Women are assaulted and abused and then punished by their own people as a result. We'll have to consider what to do with them. What about the women who were kidnapped recently, at the same time as Jack and Sam?"

"They do not want to return either to their home. Most of them became slaves and were not raped although there are three that are pregnant. They have said they will go anywhere but do not want to return to their men. I guess they weren't treated very well on their planet."

"No, that's an understatement. Well, I guess we'll have to take them to earth and see where we can send them from there. There must be some planets where they'll be welcomed."

"Yes. In fact, I have an idea."

"Really? What?"

"There is a planet called Protea that we recently came across and on which there is a desperate shortage of women. Most of the women had been taken as slaves by the Goa'uld – much like Matsya did. It has left the community in need of women and children if their society is to continue."

"Won't there be a danger of the Goa'uld returning and doing the same thing again?"

Kraneas smiled. "No, the Goa'uld who took their women was Chronos. I understand that a group of Tauri called 'SG1' put an end to him. The planet has since petitioned the Asgard to give it 'protected planet' status."

"Oh. Well, that sounds good. But are they going to treat the women well? These women don't need to be anywhere where they are going to be treated badly. They've had enough abuse."

"We will make sure although my understanding is that the people on Protea are very kind, very gentle. I think they will be only too happy to have both the women and children join them. I know that they love children very much. There was much grieving over the loss of their sons and daughters."

"Okay, let's check it out. If it looks good we can offer it as a choice." As Daniel was speaking he saw one of the women begin to make her way over. After a moment he realized it was Martia.

"Martia, how are you?"

"I am well Daniel Jackson. I thank you and your friends for saving us. We are all grateful."

"You're welcome Martia. We are glad we were able to help."

"We are all worried about what will happen to us now. We do not wish to return to our former lives but have no where else to go."

"We were just discussing that. Do not worry – you may tell the others that we will not force you to go anywhere you do not wish to go. We are trying to find you a home where you will be treated kindly and well. You will be able to decide though."

The woman looked at him gratefully although still with doubt. Her experience of men did not lead her to trust willingly in their words.

"How are Jack and Samantha?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Sam is fine. Jack isn't doing well at all. We're hoping our doctor – uh 'healer' can help him."

"I hope so although I do not believe he will be able to help."

"Uh – it's a 'her' and why don't you think so?"

"My mistress told me that the Kopra and Roshu would have a permanent effect and that nothing could prevent or change it. Jack is now joined permanently with Sam and unless they both accept that and do something about it he will die."

"So you know about that, do you?"

"Yes, I was the one who gave him something to help for a short while. I also told him he would only live if he and Sam joined with one another. I do not understand why he will not do so. He loves her and she loves him."

"Yeah, I know. I don't get it either. Maybe they'll figure it out. I guess the good news is that they were together when he was given that stuff. It would have been worse if he'd been with some other woman."

"Why would that be?"

"Well, he would have been 'joined' to someone other than the one he loved. That would have really been hard."

"No that is not true. Did you not know this?"

"Know what?"

"The Kopra and Roshu will only work on those who care for each other already. If they did not love each other all that would have happened was that they would have taken the other in aversion – physically and emotionally. The substances act on the body but are affected by the mind and emotions. The addiction only happens to those who love each other already. It was for this reason that D'jindra took a great risk. If it had not worked Matsya would have been very angry as it would mean they could never mate."

"Really? What if it was one sided? I mean, what if it was just Jack who loved Sam – would it still have worked?"

"Not according to my mistress. She said that the change comes as a result of the two 'auras' meeting and and it is that which causes the change to happen in the male. If it is one sided the change will not occur."

"Wow! Did you tell this to Jack when you told him about the Kopra and Roshu?"

"No, I do not believe I did. I did not think I had to. I was sure they already knew they were loved by the other."

Daniel reached down and gave Martia a gentle kiss. "Thank you! You may just have saved Jack's life." He turned and headed back to the front of the spacecraft but turned around just before leaving. "And don't worry – we'll find you a great place to live!"

When Daniel returned he could see that Sam was sleeping, curled up closely with Jack. He stared at them for a moment.

"You guys deserve to be together", he whispered softly, "and I'm going to do my damndest to see it happens."

After he had told Teal'c what Martia had related to him the two sat and spoke quietly for a long time, trying to decide what to do.

"I say we tell Jack. He can make the decision."

"I do not think he will understand. Not now. Why do we not tell Dr. Frasier. She can then decide what to do with the information. I still do not think we can tell Major Carter until we have permission from O'Neill."

In the end they decided to wait, unless it looked like it was urgent. They would tell Janet when they got back to earth.

"Major Carter", Teal'c called out. Sam awoke with a start and looked fearfully down at Jack. When she saw he was breathing steadily she relaxed and looked over at Teal'c.

"I'm awake Teal'c. What is it?" Sam had been awake on and off during the trip but had remained close to Jack.

"We are approaching the planet. We should touch down in 10 minutes."

"Good", Sam stood up and stretched, covering Jack back up with the coats and blankets. It didn't take long, after she had left his side, for him to start shivering. "Any signs of civilization?"

"Not that I can see. I will keep the ship cloaked until we determine that it is safe." Sam watched out the porthole until they got close enough to see the land. It looked wild, with trees and lakes as far as the eye could see. So far neither of them had seen any signs of life.

"There", Daniel was pointing out his side. "There's the gate and it doesn't look like there's anyone around." Teal'c turned the craft towards the gate and set it down a couple hundred of feet away.

"Daniel, can you tell Kraneas that we have arrived and help prepare the women. I will go and see to the gate and ensure it is working."

"Do you want me to go as well Teal'c?" Sam felt like she had done nothing to help and was feeling somewhat guilty.

"No, you must look after O'Neill. Stay close to him. As soon as I have determined it to be safe I will come and get him. We must get him home quickly."

Sam nodded and sat back down behind Jack. Reaching down she pulled him up so that his head and torso were supported by her chest.

"Saaaam", Jack was awake.

"Shhh. We're almost home Jack. Take it easy."

"Ho -?"

"Yes, home. Teal'c is just checking out the gate and then we're going home. We'll have you in the Infirmary in no time."

"Joy!" he whispered. "No …. needl..es, kay?"

She laughed. "Sorry Jack, I can't promise that. You know how much Janet loves her needles. I can promise to hold your hand though when she sticks you with one."

"Swe…et" She sat there and stroked his head, offering what comfort she could. For the first time in days she began to have hope. Janet would fix this.

"The gate appears to be working Major Carter. I will let Daniel Jackson know and then we must go." Just then Daniel came into the front cabin, followed by a long line of women and children.

"We're ready to go Teal'c."

"Good. I will take O'Neill first with Major Carter. I will let General Hammond know you are coming. You can follow with the others."

"Okay Teal'c, just get him home."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Unauthorized activation." Walter announced as the gate began to dial.

"Who is it son? Do we have an IDC?" Hammond was walking down from his office.

"Nothing yet Sir."

"Then keep the iris closed." The two men watched as the gate continued to dial. Finally they could hear it open but saw nothing but the grey iris.

"It's …. SG1 Sir!" Walter turned to the General in shock.

"Then open her up quickly Sargeant." Walter immediately hit the control and suddenly the event horizon was shining its brilliant blue light.

It was another minute before a figure appeared through the gate carrying someone in his arms. At first they thought it was some unknown Jaffa but Hammond started and looked more closely.

"Teal'c!" he turned and headed for the gate room, calling for guards as he did so. The SF's in the gateroom pulled their weapons and trained them on Teal'c. It was at that moment that another figure appeared, dressed in a very skimpy leather tunic.

"Major Carter!" Hammond stopped and looked at the two arrivals. It was then he realized that the third figure was that of O'Neill, either dead or unconscious.

"We have to get him to the Infirmary Sir." Carter spoke urgently. Hammond could hear Walter call for a medical team. He knew they'd be here in seconds.

"What is going on Major and what has happened to Colonel O'Neill?" At that very moment the doors opened and Janet came roaring in with her med team.

"Sam! Thank God you're back. What's happened?" She walked over to Teal'c and looked at the Colonel. "Put him on the gurney. What's wrong with him?"

"We think he's been poisoned. Some kind of alien drug that's having a real bad effect."

"Okay people, let's get him to the Infirmary." Janet and her team left quickly. Sam and Teal'c went to follow.

"Wait a minute", the General stopped them. "I need to know what's going on. And Teal'c, you're not going anywhere until I get some answers."

"Sir, Teal'c can explain everything. Can I please go with Janet? I promise I'll tell you everything but I need to let her know about the Colonel."

"Fine Major, you go. Teal'c, you stay and tell me what's going one." Sam ran out and left the men. Before Teal'c had a chance to speak more people began to come through the gate. Hammond's eyes grew big and he turned to their very own Jaffa.

"Okay, I think you have some explaining to do!"

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Janet had sent O'Neill for a series of tests including an MRI. She'd already taken blood and tissue samples and had checked all his vitals. So far she had no idea what was going on. Sam had stood by the whole time looking pale and sick. She'd explained briefly what had happened but didn't have enough details to help in trying to discover what was wrong.

While she waited for Jack to return from his tests Janet decided it was time to check on Sam. The nurses had already taken blood samples and given her an initial exam but Janet needed to see for herself how her friend was doing.

"It's good to have you back Sam." Sam smiled at her although it was obviously a struggle. "How are you doing? And don't give me the SG1 standard 'I'm fine' – I want the truth."

"The truth? Okay. I'm exhausted and I feel nauseated and dizzy. I'm worried sick about J- the Colonel and I want this to be over. Is that good Janet?"

"Let's deal with the physical symptoms right now Sam. As for Jack, we're looking after him, okay? Just leave him to us – we'll figure out what's wrong."

"I'm afraid I'm going to lose him Janet. He's been so sick."

"Hey", Janet went up and hugged her friend. "I know it's been hard but you're home now, Jack's home. We're gonna look after you." Janet began another exam of her friend although she was as gentle as possible. She knew Sam had been through what was probably a horrible experience and was going to need a lot of TLC - and probably some therapy.

"Janet", Sam spoke softly.

"What?" Janet looked and realized that there was something very serious going on with her friend.

"I think I need to take a pregnancy test."

Janet was silent for a moment although her heart sank. God, she'd been afraid of this. She knew it was important for her to act calmly and professionally although she really wanted to rant at the unfairness of it all.

"Okay Sam. Do you think it's a possibility?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I've been feeling sick and dizzy. I just - I just need to know."

"All right. I'll get one of the nurses to get me a kit .."

"No! Please Janet. I don't want anyone else to know."

"Okay Sam, take it easy. I'll get one right now." Janet walked to the supply room and picked out one of the tests. God, she felt sick herself. If Sam was pregnant this was going to add a whole new trauma to having obviously been raped.

"Here you go sweetie. Go on and take it. I'll wait here."

Sam walked to the bathroom. She came out a very short time later carrying the stick.

"So?" Janet asked softly.

"I don't know. I can't look at it."

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes, please." Sam sounded like she was going to cry. Janet took the stick and looked down and then back up at her friend, tears in her eyes.

"So? Am I pregnant or not?"

_**Evil, evil 'queen of the cliffies' me! To be continued tomorrow!**_


	30. Machello's Worms

_**Thanks everyone, for your patience! I know half of you will be unhappy with what happens but hey – there's more story to come! Enjoy and keep those reviews coming – they're inspiring me!**_

"Teal'c, Dr. Jackson, who are all these people?" To say that General Hammond was looking surprised was an understatement! He looked like he was just about ready to tear into one of the two members of SG1 who were standing in front of him.

"Uh they were prisoners of the Goa'uld Matsya Sir. You remember, he was the one who kidnapped - "

"I remember Dr. Jackson. What I want to know is why they are _here_?"

"Well, we had no where else to take them General. A lot of them don't have homes to go back to anymore."

George sighed, knowing that he'd just received a whole mess-load of problems. As the numbers of women and children grew the SF's started to look slightly panicked. No one knew what to do. The General then had a wonderful thought.

"WALTER!" he shouted. The Sergeant responded from the gate room with a 'Yes Sir?"

"See to these people. Take them down to the Infirmary in groups and find a place for the rest in the meantime." What was the point of being in charge if you couldn't delegate?

Once that worry was off his immediate shoulders he turned back to his two recalcitrant men. "So, what about you two? You realize you're in big trouble?" He went to gesture to a couple of the guards but Daniel interrupted him.

"General, we know we screwed up Sir – although I would like to point out it was while we were under alien influence – and you can punish us as much as you like later but right now we need to get to the infirmary and talk to Janet."

"No way Dr. Jackson! Before you left you tried to kill her. I will not put her in danger again."

"But General, we're okay now – aren't we Teal'c?"

"Yes, indeed we are General Hammond. Whatever it was is no longer affecting us. We are fine."

"I wish I could believe you two, really I do. But you told us that last time and look what happened. No, I'm sorry but I can't risk it."

"Sir – General, then just have some guards escort us or something. Look, Jack's life is in danger unless we can tell Janet something. We really need to speak with her and I promise we won't hurt her." Daniel sent pleading looks to the General. They just had to get to Janet.

"Why don't you tell me what's wrong with the Colonel and I'll tell Dr. Frasier?"

Damn, thought Daniel, that's the last thing they needed. The crap would really hit the proverbial fan and Jack would kill them.

"We cannot General Hammond." Teal'c spoke very definitely. "It would take too long and we must hurry. You may bind us if you wish. On my honor we will not attempt to hurt Dr. Frasier or anyone. We simply must explain what is happening."

Hammond looked at the two men and finally shook his head in frustration. "Okay, you may go but I'll have the SF's escort you. I still want to talk to you both though!"

"Thank you Sir!" Daniel and Teal'c both turned and began to hurry down the hall, the SF's following closely.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"_So, am I pregnant or not?"_

Janet was happy she at least had some news to give her friend.

"No Sam, you're not pregnant. At least according to the test although - " Her words were suddenly interrupted by a sob. She was sure Sam had kept firm control of her feelings up until now but Janet figured that the relief of knowing she wasn't pregnant finally made the Major break down.

"Come on Sam, sit down." She led her friend over to one of the beds. Sam continued to cry, the tears dripping down her face. Janet reached over and put her arms around the traumatized woman. "It'll be okay now. You don't need to worry anymore. You're home and everything is fine."

"No it's not!" a small voice answered her. Janet looked up and was surprised at how devastated Sam appeared. "Sam, what is it?" When her friend didn't answer she sat down beside her and began to speak.

"I know you went through something horrible, something no woman should ever have to experience – but it will get better Sam, I promise. We'll get you some good counseling to deal with it and you'll get things back together. You'll have lots of support and at least you don't have to worry about being pregnant."

Another small sob and then Sam began to speak. "You don't understand Janet. I'm not relieved! I _wanted _to be pregnant!" She began to cry once more.

"You wanted …?" Janet was astounded. What had happened that would make Sam want to carry some man's – or alien's child? All she could think of was the Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe she had gotten somehow attached to the man who had assaulted her.

"Come on sweetheart. This is just reaction from everything that's happened to you. You'll feel differently in the morning. Why don't you rest right now?"

"No Janet – it's not reaction. You don't understand. What if he dies? I won't have anything. At least I would have had a child of his – now I'll have nothing."

Okay, Frasier was seriously confused. Who was she talking about? She looked down at her friend once more. "Sam, I don't understand what you're saying. _Who_ will die?"

"Jack."

"Jack? You mean Colonel O'Neill?" She looked in surprise at the Major. "What does that have to do with not being preg-" Oh no! That couldn't be what she meant, could it?

She sat down again. "Sam, who is the – I mean, who could have been the father of your child if you were pregnant?" Janet shook her head – that was really confusing. Sam, at least, appeared to understand because she looked up in shock at the Doctor.

"Uh – I don't know." But her answer was feeble at best.

"Sam, were you attacked – or forced – by some stranger?" Might as well be blunt!

After a long pause in which Janet didn't know if she would get an answer Sam looked down and muttered a soft "no".

"No?" Janet closed her eyes. Things had just gotten a lot more complicated! A small voice in the back of her head whispered that it was better for Sam. At least she hadn't been raped. Still, the consequences of this could be bad – at least they'd be bad if anyone found out.

Right there and then Janet decided on a 'don't ask, don't tell' policy. Sam hadn't openly admitted anything and, since she wasn't pregnant, there wasn't any reason to pursue the matter. With a sigh she looked at her friend again. Sam was still going to need lots of support though. She was clearly upset. Janet shook her head – she still was shocked at Sam's reaction over not being pregnant!

Just then Janet heard a commotion in the hallway and the door burst open. When she saw Daniel and Teal'c approaching she stood up and stepped back in fear. Oh my God, she'd forgotten. She looked around for any kind of weapon to defend herself but then saw the two SF's who were following the men.

"Grab them!" she yelled to the security detail.

"No Janet. We're not going to hurt you." Daniel walked nearer but Janet backed away. Sam wiped her eyes and tried to gain control of herself as she saw what was happening.

"It's okay Janet. They're back to normal. They won't hurt you."

"Are you sure? Daniel tried to kill me the last time he was here."

"Really?" Sam looked in shock at the very sheepish looking archaeologist.

"I'm sorry about that Janet – it wasn't me – it really was 'alien influence'. We're both okay now and we need to - ah 'talk' to you."

"Better? You're sure?" When Daniel, Teal'c and Sam all nodded she relaxed but then looked puzzled. "How did that happen? We didn't think there was a way to overcome the brainwashing - unless it just wore off over time?"

Both the men looked surprised at the fact that they had been 'brainwashed' – they had thought it was purely chemical influence. "I guess it was when we were hurt. For some reason that seemed to counteract the effects. It took a while longer for me but for Teal'c it was almost instantaneous."

"Hurt? How? Is there anything I need to look at?" She asked, slipping immediately into Doctor mode."

"Uh, I was stabbed but it's pretty much healed by now." Daniel looked a little nervous, knowing Janet would insist on a thorough check up (Damn!).

"I am fine Doctor Frasier." Teal'c spoke extra formally and was looking off into space. Daniel grinned and Carter looked guilty. Janet looked suspiciously at each of them.

"So, what happened? Teal'c!"

"Major Carter kicked me." He answered, offering no further details.

"Kicked you? Where?"

"On the planet of the Goa'uld Matsya." Daniel choked back a laugh. He couldn't believe it – Teal'c was embarrassed.

Janet sighed, "you know what I mean Teal'c. Where, on your body, did she kick you?"

"In the Ko'brai"

"Kobrai?" Janet looked even more confused and turned to Daniel who was turning red in the face trying not to laugh.

"Uh – in the 'ball's Janet – on Ba'al's planet." Daniel began to laugh at his own pun. The Doctor turned to Sam with an incredulous expression on her face.

"You kicked him in the testicles?"

"Yes" Sam answered in a tiny voice. "And I'm really sorry Teal'c."

"That is all right Major Carter. It cured me from the 'brainwashing'. I would simply ask that you do not do it again." He said _**very**_ solemnly.

"Uh, no problem Teal'c." Daniel had, by this time, laid down on one of the beds, weak from suppressed laughter. Poor Teal'c.

A sound suddenly interrupted the short interlude. The members of SG1 and the Doctor turned to look as Jack was wheeled in, back from his tests.

"We have all the test results Doctor." The nurse who followed the gurney approached with a file. Janet reached out and took it, all the while keeping an eye on her very ill looking patient.

The nurses had heaped warm blankets around the Colonel as well as a number of hot water bottles, which were strategically placed all around him. He was still shivering though, the tremors coming ever few seconds.

"Were you able to warm him up?" Frasier asked the nurse.

"No Doctor. His temperature continues to fall no matter what we do. The last reading we took registered at 91 degrees."

"Damn! What the heck is this?" Janet looked at one of the reports in the file. a frown on her face. She then went over and lowered the blankets. Pulling the hospital gown down she stared at Jack's chest. Holy Shit! The man was wearing rings through his nipples! What in the world was this about? She glanced at the rest of SG1. Sam looked uncomfortable but not surprised. Daniel looked shocked and Teal'c – well Teal'c simply raised an eyebrow. For the Jaffa that was a sign of shock as well.

"What - ?"

"It was part of the torture Janet." Sam answered. "It was also a way to keep him from leaving. It controlled a device in his stomach that would cause intense pain if he were to leave the compound. We were able to deactivate it and eventually it came out."

The doctor nodded although she didn't quite know what to make of it. She made a mental note to tell her nurses to not say anything about this and also to check and make sure their were no lasting effects. She knew the Colonel well enough to know this had to be totally humiliating for him. It would also mean endless rounds of teasing from the Marines if they were to find out.

Ignoring the rings for now, Janet again looked down at the charts in her hand. They made no sense whatsoever. There was no alien substance in his blood and yet his readings were all off. Even his brain pattern was different – although it showed complete and normal activity – it was just not the activity that was normal for Jack O'Neill.

It was only as she glanced up to see the faces of three very worried people that she realized she'd been guilty of an indiscretion. She shouldn't be examining or discussing a patient with others present – even if it was Jack's team.

"Come on folks, I need to check the Colonel out. I suggest you all go and get something to eat and rest. Actually I need to check both of you guys out so don't go far." She turned back to the Colonel and began to study the test results again.

"Ah Janet?"

"Yes Daniel?" she answered impatiently.

"Can I – ur can we talk to you for a minute? Sam can stay with Jack."

"Daniel, I don't really have time right now. Can it wait for later?"

"Ah no, it can't. It's really important Janet. Please?" Sam looked up curiously at this exchange, wondering what Daniel and Teal'c had to say. She heard a small sound from Jack and immediately lost interest in her teammates. She moved up and put her hand on Jack's ice-cold forehead.

As Janet looked at the men she could see that they were desperately trying to signal something to her. It was obvious they didn't want Sam to see. With a small groan she turned to the Major.

"I'll be right back Sam. You stay with the Colonel and I'll send in one of my nurses. I'll be back soon." Sam nodded but didn't answer.

As Janet turned towards her office she noticed the SF's still standing in the door. "You can go now, everything is okay." As they began to argue she spoke again. "I'll clear it with the General. I can't have you in the Infirmary right now. Why don't you stay in the hall – Dr. Jackson and Teal'c can't get out without you seeing them."

She then led the two men into her small office and closed the door. "Okay you two, what's this about? I have to figure out what's wrong with the Colonel so I don't have much time."

"That's why we wanted to talk to you Janet. We know what's wrong and we know how to fix it – or at least we know how it can be fixed."

"What? You're telling me you know what this is? Why the hell didn't you say something before?" She was angry!

"We didn't have the chance Janet. We couldn't say anything with Sam present."

"Why not? What does she have to do with this?"

"Everything." Janet looked at the two men who were staring at her with very serious expressions on their faces. She sank slowly down into her chair.

"Okay, tell me."

"You know where they were and why they were taken, right?" Daniel asked hesitatingly.

"Yes, I understand they were taken to a 'breeding' planet; that the Goa'uld who kidnapped them planned to breed new hosts. What does this have to do with the Colonel's illness?"

"The Goa'uld Matsya planned to breed a Tauri child and sell it to Ba'al. He had heard that Ba'al hated the Tauri with a passion and thought to make a profit. Therefore, when he discovered he had Major Carter and O'Neill he decided that they would become the parents of this new host. He also chose them because they were attractive and would make beautiful children"

Janet nodded – her suspicions were correct about Sam and the Colonel.

"They were ordered to 'mate' so as to produce a child."

"Let me guess, they said no."

Teal'c nodded. "Indeed, they refused. O'Neill was tortured many times and threatened with …. castration", the doctor started – oh God no! "He still refused. Finally, in desperation, Matsya's servants gave O'Neill two drugs to induce him to … have relations with Major Carter. That did not work either."

Daniel then took over the narration. "What they did do, however, was make him sick. According to the Goa'uld's – uh servant D'jindra, the substances, if used together, cause an extreme addiction in the man. This addiction will kill him unless he's given the antidote." Daniel stopped and looked at Teal'c. This was it.

"So, what's the antidote? Is it something we have on earth?"

"Indeed it is Doctor Frasier."

"What?" impatient she looked at both of the men. What were they not saying?

"No, who." Daniel stated.

"Who? What?" Janet shook her head – this was sinking into farce territory!

"The antidote – it's Sam."

Janet was silent, confused and a little angry. Were they being intentionally obscure? What was this about?

"Okay, you guys had better tell me what the hell is going on. I have a patient I need to look after and you are talking nonsense!"

Teal'c looked at his friend. "Tell her everything Dr. Jackson. She needs to know."

"Janet – Jack has developed a severe addiction to Sam. It's what these drugs do. According to people on the planet they 'change' the man's mental and physical state permanently. The only thing that will help – or maybe cure him – is the person he's addicted to which, in this case, is Sam."

"Even if I believed you, what does that mean? How can she 'cure' him?"

"Well, we've seen that when she touches him Jack gets somewhat better. But, according to the people on the planet Jack and Sam have to 'Mai'thun' with each other for him to get completely better."

"Mai'thun? What the hell does that mean."

A short silent ensued. Daniel and Teal'c looked at each other. Finally Daniel sighed. "It means they have to make love with each other. That's the only thing that will save Jack. He knows it but Sam doesn't. He made us promise not to say anything to her."

For a long time there was complete and utter silence in the room. Janet was trying to process the information. Her first thought was to ignore this as utter nonsense, and then she remembered the many other times when they'd been hit with some wild alien illness. This could be real. She'd have to check it out carefully. If it was true then God help them.

Just as she went to stand up she had another thought. If Jack and Sam hadn't – what was the word Daniel had used? 'Mai'thuned' – then why would Sam think she was pregnant? She went to say something but caught herself in time. No, that was definitely not something to share with anyone!

"Okay, I'll check it out. I won't say anything to Sam for now but if it's true I may have to. Although even if it is true then I don't see that it would make any difference. The Colonel is unconscious – there's no way he could – uh – Mai'thun – anyone." On that note she walked back into the Infirmary.

"I believe we have done our duty Daniel Jackson. We must now wait and see what transpires."

"Yeah" Quietly the two men left the office and went to the hallway where they sat waiting, watched over by two SF's.

"How's he doing Sam?" Janet walked over to where the Major was standing, her hand cupped over Jack's face.

"Not well Janet. Can you help him?"

"I'll try. I'm just going to study these tests. You can stay there – I'll have a nurse bring you a chair."

"Janet looked closely at the reports in her hand but also continued to observe the Colonel. It was true that he'd settled a bit since he'd been returned to the room. Whether that was Sam's 'touch' or not she was unwilling to say at this point.

After a few minutes she got up; she wanted to check something. Walking back to her office she retrieved Sam's file and opened it. Looking at the data she was startled to see the readings matched O'Neill's almost perfectly – except for body temperature and blood pressure, both of which were extremely low in the Colonel.

She didn't have a recent brain scan of the Major but wouldn't have been surprised if it were to match the Colonel's as well. Despite her rational self, she was beginning to believe. Now, what to do about it?

"Sam?"

"Yes Janet?" The Major looked exhausted but had refused to leave O'Neill's side. Janet had spent the last few hours going over the tests and trying to figure out a solution. She finally decided she needed to speak with the Major.

"I understand that the substances they gave the Colonel were in order to make him … uh … have relations with you. Is that right?"

"Yes." Sam refused to look up and could feel her face begin to turn red.

"But it didn't work?"

"No – at least he didn't – you know. He refused to do what they wanted. They tortured him and threatened him but he wouldn't." Her voice was full of suppressed tears.

"But Sam, if that was the case, why did you think you were pregnant? Unless some other man 'touched' you?"

Sam looked up in shock, her eyes wide. "No – no one touched me. It was .. I mean … can't we just forget that Janet?"

"No Sam, I'm sorry. I'm not trying to get you in trouble, really I'm not. I just want to figure out what's wrong with the Colonel."

"What does that have to do with whether or not I thought I might be pregnant."

"I don't know Sam. I'm just trying to look at all angles. Don't worry – you haven't told me anything so I don't have to say anything to the General – but I want you to know I'm here for you."

"Thanks Janet. Just look after J- the Colonel. That's all I want."

Jack seemed to be holding his own, for now, but Janet knew it wouldn't be long before he'd begin to fade. His body couldn't take this punishment for much longer.

Returning to her office she sat back down and went over the reports one more time.

"Janet", a voice interrupted her reading. Looking up she saw the tense face of Dr. Jackson.

"What is it Daniel?" He walked in carrying a cup of coffee and a muffin.

"I thought you could use a snack. It's been almost 12 hours. The women and children we brought back have all been checked are are settled for the night."

"That's good. Do we know what's going to happen to them?" Janet didn't appear to be too interested, obviously exhausted and focused on O'Neill right now. Taking the coffee gratefully she took a small sip.

"Oh, that's good, thank you!"

"You're welcome. As for the women and children - we have a briefing scheduled in the morning. Hopefully by then we can figure something out. Anything on Jack?"

"No. I've gone over it and over it and can't find a solution. There are certainly similarities between the Colonel's and Sam's vitals so I am not totally skeptical but I can't figure out what to do about it. At this point, even if they decided to go ahead and have sex it wouldn't work. There's no way Jack's up for it." The dead silence only registered after a moment. Janet lifted her head and saw a rather strange expression on Daniel's face. It was almost as if he had eaten something really sour.

She went back over what she'd say and then suddenly got it. It started out with a small 'twitch' in her lips but she was able to control it. It was when she looked up and caught Daniel's eye that she lost it – she began to laugh. That was all Daniel needed as well. The next minute the two were laughing so hard they were crying.

"I can't believe I said that!" Janet gasped. Daniel choked.

"I can't believe you said it either."

"Don't you dare ever tell the Colonel!"

"Really? I don't know – he'd probably enjoy it."

"Are you kidding? He'd kill you – and then me."

After a few moments of uproarious laughter both of them calmed down, knowing that their reaction was much more than the comment had warranted, but was a release of tension and stress.

"Oh God, I haven't laughed like that in ages." Janet wheezed, trying to catch her breath.

"Me neither! I thought I was going to lose it there for a minute. I was afraid someone was going to come in and put me back in that padded room!"

"Yeah – if anyone could see us they'd think we'd both gone crazy! This time we couldn't blame Machello though."

"No." Daniel sat quietly, remembering that occurrence. In some ways it was similar – Teal'c had been dying and they'd had no way of knowing how to help him. This time it was Jack who-

"**Daniel**!" Janet was looking at him with a stunned expression. "I think you may have given us a solution!" She stood up and began to head to the lab. Daniel followed quickly.

"What? Janet, stop. What are you talking about?"

"Machello and his little worms!"

"Okaaaay", Daniel looked even more confused as he followed the swiftly walking Doctor. "I don't see what that has to do with this."

Janet stopped and turned to Daniel. "Don't you remember what Sam did to 'cure' the Colonel and I when we were infected?"

"Yeah, she took some of her blood and processed it so she could inject you with the antibodies. I still don't get it."

"Look, if it's true that Jack and Sam need to have 'sex'" here she lowered her voice so no one could hear, "I'm assuming that bodily fluids must play a role." Daniel began to feel uncomfortable. He really didn't want to think of his friends and 'bodily fluids' in the same thought.

"If that's the case, maybe all we need to do is give the Colonel some of Sam's DNA. If we can do the same with her blood – draw out the red blood cells – maybe that'll be enough to cure him."

"That's fantastic!" Daniel was getting equally as excited now. "But how are you going to get her to give you her blood without telling her what's going on?"

"That's no problem at all. I don't need to take any blood. Sam donates regularly. She has an unusual blood type and, when she's not going on a mission she'll often donate a pint. Once she's given it we can use it for whatever purpose we want. I don't have to ask permission to use it on a patient."

"Are you sure that's wise. Should we really keep this from her?"

"I don't know Daniel. Maybe we'll need to tell her but not right now. I don't think she's in any kind of emotional state to handle this. Let's see if we can help the Colonel and then worry about telling her."

"Okay."

"Look – I'm going to the lab to get working on the blood. Go back and sit with Sam, make sure she's okay."

"All right. I hope this works Janet."

"Me too, Daniel, me too!"


	31. Normal

And it was working – at least so far. It took a few hours after the injection but the Colonel was definitely getting better. His temperature had started to rise as had his pulse. They could all see the color coming back to his cheeks. Oh, he wasn't out of the woods yet but Janet was hopeful.

Sam had refused to budge from his side until it was obvious that he was much better. From being unconscious, or possibly even in a coma, he had moved into a deep and restful sleep. Janet had eventually insisted that she go to bed and sleep herself. It wasn't until she enlisted the General help that Sam finally agreed. She slept for 12 hours straight after that.

When she awoke she was planning to go and see Jack but instead was called to the Briefing Room. They had, as yet, not figured out what to do with the refugees and Hammond wanted something done immediately. Every available space in the SGC was taken by the women and children. They'd already had two babies born and the children were starting to get restless after being cooped up so long.

As Sam made her way into the Briefing Room she could see that Teal'c, Daniel, Janet and Griff were already there. The first thing she did was ask after the Colonel.

"He's doing well Sam. He's been sleeping although he woke up briefly." She smiled, "said he felt warm and then went back to sleep. I expect he'll wake up again soon."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief. He was going to be okay.

Just then the General arrived and got right to it.

"Okay people, what are we going to do about the situation we have here?" He was clearly anxious to have this resolved quickly.

"I spoke with the Tokra Sir", Daniel spoke. "They've made contact with the people on the planet Protea and explained the situation. The inhabitants said they would be pleased to take the women and children and welcome them to their community. From what Jacob said they're a kind, gentle people. They seemed very anxious to have the women come – I think the men there are pretty lonely!" There were a few soft chuckles around the room. It looked like there'd be a happy ending after all.

"But what about the women that were kidnapped with the Colonel and Sam?" Janet asked. She'd been so involved with looking after O'Neill that she hadn't been involved with the refugees – **that** she'd left with Dr. Warner and the other medical staff.

"I'm sure they'll want to go to Protea as well, Janet", Sam interjected. "I know they don't want to go back to their home planet, not after the way they were treated by the men there."

"But Major, it's different now. There should be no problem with them returning." Griff spoke up for the first time.

"What do you mean 'different'" Daniel looked puzzled. "We know the men there are abusive and these women don't need any more of that. Much better if they go somewhere where they'll be treated well."

"But they'll be treated well on their home planet." Janet leaned forward and spoke vehemently. "Daniel, Teal'c, you should get it. It's what happened to you. Those men were brainwashed in the same way you were. We were able to figure it out after you'd uh 'left'. We went to the planet and discovered that the aliens who had built the temple were basically trying to wipe out the local people by convincing them that women were evil. With the help of Amdahl we were able to 'deprogram' the men – or maybe I should say 'reprogram' them. Right now they are the sweatest bunch of men you could hope to find anywhere." She grinned and continued. "They are ready to love and respect their wives and mothers and sisters and daughters. They miss them terribly and want them back."

Sam sat frowning, still unconvinced. "But even though the men may have changed", she said in a voice that sounded doubtful, "the women still have the memories of abuse. Do you really think they'll be able to forgive and forget?"

"Forget? No. Forgive – maybe. Sam, I know it's not going to be easy and the men themselves know that. They're not expecting the women to come back and embrace them as if nothing happened. They know it's going to take time and a lot of patience and care. But they're willing to do that. These women have suffered a lot of trauma – both before and after being stolen from their homes. It's not going to be instant but isn't it better that they go back to the same place and culture they grew up in rather than having to learn a whole new life on top of everything else? It will also help the children get to know their fathers – their true fathers who will want to love and nurture them."

There was silence as everyone in the room contemplated what to do. It was finally Teal'c who spoke up.

"Should it not be the decision of the women themselves? They have had few choices in their lives. Is now not the time to let them control their own destinies?"

"I think Teal'c is right." Sam sat forward in her chair and spoke to Hammond. "General, why don't we explain to Martia and the others and let them chose. If they decide to go back to P8V 359 we should also tell them that we will check on them and if they change their minds we can take them to Protea."

With a deep breath the General nodded. "That sounds like an idea Major Carter. Why don't you go and speak to this Martia woman and have her convey that to the rest. The women from other planets can be told they will be taken to Protea as soon as they are able to travel. We will do the same with the women there. We can check on them occassionaly and make sure they are all right. Okay people, it looks like we have a solution. Good job everyone. This has been a hard time for all of you. Once we've resolved the issue of the women I'm giving you all 2 weeks leave. Use it wisely to rest up!" With a smile of pride – and relief – he dismissed his people.

"Janet, do you think you could come with me to speak with Martia? I think she'll need to hear this from you. I wasn't there so - "

"Of course Sam." She turned to Teal'c and Daniel. "If you want the two of you can go and see how the Colonel is doing. If he's awake let him know we'll be down in a little while."

As the two women walked down the corridor to the room where Martia and her children were staying Janet noticed that Sam had gone quiet. Glancing at her friend she was concerned to see that she looked sad. Stopping, she turned to Sam.

"Is everything okay Sam?"

"Hmm." Sam then turned and realizing they'd stopped, looked at Janet with a question in her eyes. "What Janet?"

"I asked if everything was okay. You seem – upset about something."

"Oh. No, no, I'm fine. Just thinking I guess." She resumed walking, not saying anything more.

Janet knew there was something, but she also knew that look and that Sam wasn't about to share anything, at least not now. She suspected it had something to do with the Colonel and what had happened on the planet.

Her suspicions were correct. Sam had realized, as soon as the Colonel had begun to get better, that things hadn't really changed. They were still bound by regulations and there was no child or anything that would force a change. Their declarations of love notwithstanding, Sam knew that things would have to return to the way they'd always been – unless one of them was willing to make a change.

She also worried that it had been the situation on the planet that had caused feelings to flare up – feelings that had been dormant and practically dead for a long while, at least on the part of the Colonel. She also realized that Pete was still in the picture. She hadn't thought of him for days, hadn't even missed him she realized. That thought made her feel horribly guilty.

Pete was a good man who loved her and made her feel wanted. Should she simply give that up for a love that would never see the light of day? Maybe this was the time to truly let go of her feelings for the Colonel. Maybe this incident should prove, once and for all, that things could never be normal between the two of them. The General had given her two weeks off. She decided, then and there, that she'd take those two weeks and go away and decide where she wanted her life to take her. She suspected it was not going to be at the side of Jack O'Neill.

She'd call Pete tonight – he didn't know she was back. In fact, she realized she didn't even know what he'd been told about her long absence. She'd explain that she'd been trapped and that she needed a break. After her 'vacation' she'd know what to say to him. She knew she didn't love him – at least not like she loved Jack – but maybe he was what she needed. She also had to figure out whether to tell him about what had happened on the planet. That would be fun!

"Sam. Sam, SAM!" She started as she realized that Janet had been calling her name for quite a while.

"What?"

"We're here. You were a long way off?" Janet wondered if she'd get Sam to talk.

"Sorry Janet. Just thinking about Pete." Damn, thought the doctor. I'd hoped she'd gotten over the little weasel. Then she felt guilty – she knew the cop wasn't a bad man – but he also was no Jack O'Neill.

"Okay. We'd better talk to Martia now."

The two women spent the next half hour explaining to the young woman all that had occurred on her home planet. At first she was skeptical and adamant that she didn't want to return to Amdahl. After assurances that earth would check on them regularly and make sure they were being treated well she agreed to talk to the others. She couldn't promise who would want to return but she would try.

As she walked Sam and Janet to the door she reached out and grasped Sam's arm.

"How is Jack?" she asked. Sam suddenly felt guilty. They had forgotten to say anything to this woman who had helped them so much.

"He's much better Martia. Janet was able to find a cure and he's getting better." Martia looked confused.

"But my mistress said that there was only one way to cure this. She said that Jack would have to - "

"Uh Martia", Janet interrupted quickly. "I know what your mistress said but we have some very sophisticated medicines on earth and I was able to figure it out. Don't worry, O'Neill will be just fine."

Martia looked at her strangely for a moment and then glanced at Sam. Her eyes grew big as she realized that Samantha did not know. She turned back to Janet and caught the subtle shake of the healer's head. Okay, she thought to herself, she would not say anything – but she believed they were wrong. Samantha should be told.

"Then I am happy for him. He is a good man and he deserves to be well. I only wish he could also receive the happiness he deserves." With that she softly closed the door, leaving the two earth women alone.

"That was strange. I wonder what she meant?" Sam frowned. There had been something off about that whole conversation, as if something important wasn't being said. When she looked at Janet the doctor just shrugged as if she knew nothing. Hmm, thought Sam, very strange.

By the time they reached the Infirmary they could hear the sound of male laughter. They walked in on Daniel and Teal'c teasing the man in the bed. Sam was relieved to see how much better Jack – no, how much better the Colonel looked. He was thin and tired looking but otherwise seemed okay.

"How are you feeling Colonel?" Janet walked up and took his wrist, feeling his pulse.

"Fine Doc – except these guys are driving me crazy. Can't you tell them I've been sick and need to be humored?" O'Neill grinned but gave a surreptitious glance towards Carter who was looking anywhere but at him. He felt his heart sink but kept up his cheerful façade.

"Humored? I don't think so Colonel. I think they need to keep you in line. We all know what you're like when you're in the Infirmary."

"Yeah – so let me out. That way we'll all be happy."

"Well, you're looking pretty good Sir but I want to keep you for a bit longer, just to make sure you really are okay. You were pretty sick you know."

"I guess", he said softly, again looking at Sam. He was glad to be on the mend and really did feel pretty well but he was dying of curiosity to know _how_ he'd gotten better. Maybe what Martia had told him was simply an old wives tale and really didn't have anything to do with Sam. The thought somehow depressed him.

"Uh, what did you do Janet? How come I'm gettin' better?" As he looked at the doctor he could have sworn she looked guilty – but then a second later he doubted what he'd seen. She looked her normal, professional self.

"Oh, we analyzed your blood and were simply able to synthesize an antidote. Once we figured out what was wrong it wasn't too difficult." She hoped to God O'Neill would be satisfied with that! She'd forgotten about Sam.

"But what was wrong with him Janet? Was it an infection, a virus or was it poison?"

"Ah – kind of a virus caused by poison?" Oh yeah, that sounded scientific Janet.

Sam frowned. Janet was uncomfortable about something which wasn't like her. "So what did you use for the antidote?"

Sam glanced at Daniel who seemed to be squirming. This time it was him, rather than the Colonel, who decided to change the subject.

"Hey guys – let's not talk any more about poisons and antidotes. Hey Jack, did you hear that the Rockies won last night? Yeah – it was a great game."

Okay, thought Sam, I went to sleep and woke up in an alternate reality. Something really weird was going on when Daniel started to talk sports. Soon the guys – and Janet? – were talking sports and other inane things. Sam just shook her head.

After a while O'Neill began to look tired and Janet shooed everyone out. As she turned to leave a hand reached out and grabbed her arm. "Stay for a minute Carter", said a soft voice. She tried to pull her arm away but he held on until she gave a tiny nod, still not looking at him.

Janet gave one stern look at the Colonel and a muttered 'five minutes' and then left them alone.

"So Major, how are you?" Sam closed her eyes. She was right – they were back to their old relationship. Things hadn't changed.

"I'm fine Sir." She answered without looking up.

"Major – Sam" at that she glanced up briefly. He was looking at her with an intense expression. "You weren't feeling well, back on the planet ….?" She sucked in deep breath. That's what this was about. He wanted to know if she was pregnant.

"Janet said it was probably a mild virus. I'm feeling fine now."

"So you're not ….?"

"No", she answered quickly. "No, I'm fine." She waited to see what he would say but the silence was deafening. She gave another quick peak to see his reaction. She wondered if he would look relieved or disappointed. She so hoped for the latter. When she could see his face, however, she couldn't tell one way or another. His expression was blank.

"I'm glad", he said softly. Did that mean he was glad she wasn't pregnant or was glad she was well? Damn – this was awful. She just wanted to get out of here.

"I'm glad you're okay too Sir. We were worried. Uh, you need your rest Sir and Janet's going to kick me out soon so I'd better be going. Have a nice night." She started to back away from his bed, knowing she was babbling. She was almost at the door when she heard a quiet "Sam?"

"I'm sorry Sir. I'm tired, I really have to go. Good night." With that she swiftly walked out of the room and made her way to her quarters where she promptly fell on the bed and dissolved into tears.

Jack lay still for long after she'd left. He felt numb but knew, somewhere in the back of his mind, that the pain would start soon. He'd so hoped that things had changed. He was sure she had told him she loved him. Why had she run away again? Had she changed her mind? No, it was probably the fact that they were back and real life had again intruded. Their time on the planet hadn't been real and he should have never expected it to change anything.

Sam had Pete and a real life ahead of her, a normal life. What could he offer her? Nothing. Just an old warn out soldier with more baggage than anyone should be forced to carry around with them. If he truly loved her he had to walk away.

God, he'd so hoped she was pregnant. It was selfish of him, he knew. It wouldn't have been fair to Carter but it would have meant that at least things would have been brought out into the open. At least it would have given them a chance. His lips curved in a small smile; he would also have loved to have a son or daughter who looked like Sam and who hopefully had her brains. Maybe he could have given his kid his love of animals and fishing and the Simpsons – but the best parts would have come from her.

He lay for the longest time, looking at the ceiling, knowing that he now had a life in front of him without the one person who had made things bearable. He wished to God this whole thing hadn't happened. He wished he could go back to the time before they'd left for that damned planet!

"Colonel, you need to rest." Janet's soft voice intruded on his thoughts. When he looked over at her he could see the compassion in her face. Somehow she knew. Danny and Teal'c probably knew as well. Hell, he expected the whole damn base knew.

"Yeah – nothing else for me to do Doc." She walked over to his bed and reached out and laid a hand on his arm.

"It'll be okay Sir."

"Really? Sometimes I wonder Janet." He closed his eyes briefly, feeling tired and very, very sorry for himself. As he continued to lay there without moving he could hear the Doctor moving softly about the room, obviously keeping her eye on him. Suddenly he had a thought.

"Hey Doc, what was it you gave me? Was it really some kind of virus that I had?"

Janet walked over and looked down at the Colonel. Should she tell him? Would it make him feel better? Probably not, but he didn't need to be lied to, not now.

"No, it wasn't a virus. I don't know what it was exactly. All I know is is that you and Sam were somehow 'linked' – your body chemistry and brain waves had almost identical readings. You were showing signs of major stress – just like someone who is experiencing extreme withdrawal."

"So, what they said was true, I really was 'addicted' to her?"

"It appears so."

"So, how did you 'unadict' me? They told me that the only way was to – ah –"

"I know – you and Sam had to – what was the word?"

"Mai'thun."

"Yeah, that. Well, I got to thinking about that and figured out that what your body probably needed was some of her DNA."

He raised an eyebrow at that. "Unique way of putting it."

She grinned and continued. "Yes, and that made me remember the incident with Machello and his little worms."

"You mean when Sam gave us a shot of her blood cells? So that's what you did, isn't it?"

"Yes, exactly." She'd always known Jack was smart. He'd figured it out right away.

"But how did you get Carter to agree without telling her." He suddenly looked slightly panicked. "You didn't tell her did you?"

"No, no one has told her a thing. We didn't tell her anything about the blood Sir. She donates blood regularly and we used some of that. I wouldn't have to tell her if I'd used it in a transfusion so I didn't tell her about this."

"Somehow it doesn't seem the same Doc. It doesn't seem right.

"I know, I worried about it too. Do you want her to know?"

Jack thought about it for a while, knowing that if she ever found out he'd have one furious Major on his hands – and with good reason. On the other hand, he didn't know what telling her would accomplish. Maybe it was best to let sleeping dogs – or maybe sleeping Majors – lie.

"You won't need to do it again will you?" He'd wondered about that even with the 'Mai'thun' thing; whether or not this was a temporary or permanent condition.

"No, I don't think so. Everything seems totally fine now. I want to keep you for a couple of more days" she continued as he started to object. "On base, Colonel. I'll let you sleep in your quarters, okay?" When he agreed she continued. "If everything still looks good then I think you'll be fine."

"Well, in that case let's not say anything. I think it's best forgotten."

"Okay Colonel. Uh, we should also discuss the ah …" she pointed vaguely in the direction of his chest.

"Rings. Yeah, I know. I want them off as soon as possible. I don't want anyone to know about them."

"I understand Colonel. There's just one problem."

He looked at her suspiciously. "What?"

"I haven't figured out how to get them off yet."

"What do you mean? Just cut the damn things off."

"Well, there's only one problem with that. We can't figure out what kind of metal it is and so far it's impervious to cutting."

"WHAT! Come on – just get a torch or something." This couldn't be happening. Don't tell him it was like that damn skewer thing that had pinned him to the gate room wall all those years ago.

"Sorry Sir, that would burn you badly. I have Siler working on it to figure something out. We may end up having to do surgery."

"Surgery? What the hell – you mean _**cut **_them out?" When she nodded he exploded "No way! You are **not** cutting my … chest! Find another way!"

"We're trying Sir. Now I want you to sleep. You've been through a lot and you need to regain your strength." She reached over and lowered his bed and then the lights. As she turned around to take one last look at her favorite patient she felt a tightness in the back of her throat. He looked so completely and utterly sad, like the last good think in his life had died.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Hey, where you going Sam?" Daniel came down the corridor just in time to see the Major walk out of her quarters, a duffel bag in her hand.

"Just heading off for that two weeks the General gave us. I need a break for a while."

"Oh?" Daniel frowned in concern. He'd been sure she would stay around to watch after Jack. "Is Jack taking off too?"

"Huh? The Colonel? No Daniel – at least I don't think so. I haven't asked him." She looked flustered and began walking faster. "Gotta go Daniel. Take it easy and I'll see you when I'm back."

"Wait! Sam. What's going on?" He reached her and took her arm, stopping her from leaving.

"What do you mean Daniel? I told you, I'm taking a short holiday."

"But what about Jack?"

"What about him? He's doing fine. Janet says she's going to let him go in a day or too. He just needs to regain some weight and he'll be back to normal."

"What's going on Sam?" he asked. When she refused to answer or even to look at him he sighed. "Come on, talk to me. You _**love**_ him and he loves you. Why are you doing this?"

"Don't Daniel. Just …. don't. What happened on that planet and on the ship was just because of the circumstances. It doesn't mean anything here. Here we're Colonel and Major and there can't be anything else between us. He's going to be fine and we'll go back to where we were before. Everything will be fine, just like it was."

"Don't lie to yourself Sam. You know that's not true. For one thing it wasn't fine **_before_** you left and how can you expect either of you to be able to ignore what happened? You told him you loved him, for God's sake. Are you just going to walk away from that?"

"Daniel, don't you get it? The Colonel doesn't want me, not really. I'm 'forbidden fruit'. So forbidden that it would destroy his career. He's given too much to the Air Force, too much to the universe to just let it all go."

"Sam, don't _**you**_ get it? You're right – he's given everything, and now you're asking him to give the one thing that means everything to him. This will crush him and I think it may crush you."

"No it won't. I'm going to go away for a while and get my head on straight. The Colonel will be fine and so will I. I told you, things will be back to normal in no time."

"What about Pete? Are you going to go back to him? Is he the 'normal' you're hoping to regain." Daniel was angry and wanted to lash out. How could she do this to Jack?

"Yes Daniel – maybe he is. Maybe I will go back to him, but you know what? It's none of your damn business. Now just let me go!" She yanked her arm away and headed to the elevator. This time Daniel didn't try and stop her.


	32. Joy in the Morning

She hadn't been able to call Pete that night. She was too upset after her conversation with Daniel. She knew she had to contact him, though; it wasn't fair to leave him wondering what had happened to her any longer.

The General _**had**_ called him and had simply said she was on a long term mission and would be unable to contact him for a while. He hadn't like it, but at least he hadn't been worried. If he'd known the truth he would have been much more than worried!

She called him the next day, telling him she was back and was okay. Of course, he wanted to see her right away. He even said he was going to take some leave so he could come and stay with her for a few days. It had taken everything she could think of to put him off. She'd finally had to be somewhat truthful.

"Pete, I need some time alone. It's not you, okay. I was on a very stressful mission and I just need to go away for a while and be by myself. I'll call you as soon as I'm back, I promise." As he went to argue some more she cut him off. "Pete, if you love me you'll do this for me and not argue. I really need this." She felt guilty for using his love for her but she was at her wits end. She didn't think she could talk to him much longer without breaking down and all that would do would be to bring him to her door in no time flat.

There was a brief pause on the phone and then his voice, sounding tense, continued. "Okay Babe, if that's what you want but I don't like it. I don't think you should be alone right now. Just promise me you'll call if you need anything and get in touch as soon as you're back."

"Okay Pete … and thank you."

"Just one thing more Sam. Where are you going to be? I don't want to worry any more than I have to."

She panicked for a moment, realizing she had no idea where she was going. Finally, to appease him she said, "I'm going to Mark's."

"But I though you said you wanted to be alone?" he sounded confused.

"Ah – I will be. He's off visiting his in-laws." She hoped that he would buy that Mark had taken the family, in the middle of a school year, to visit the kids' grandparents – who actually lived about five blocks from their house. God, more lies!

"Uh, okay" he sounded like he didn't believe her but wasn't going to push it. He was a such nice man, she thought. "Call me when you get back?"

"Of course. And thank you again Pete."

"Hey – I love you Sam. I'd do anything for you, don't you know that?"

"Yeah, I guess I do. I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye Babe."

"Bye" It was only after he'd hung up that Pete realized she hadn't said she loved him back. He sat for a long time, wondering if his world was about to come crashing down.

Sam also sat for a while, asking herself what she was doing. Maybe she should call Pete back and have him come down. Maybe that's all it would take. He would hold her and love her. Instead of the thought making her feel better, though, she actually began to feel sick and that just wasn't right. Thinking about the man you were supposed to marry should definitely not make you feel ill.

She stood up restlessly, knowing she had to get away but unable to figure out where to go. She had a brief idea about going to the Colonel's cabin. He'd offered it on numerous occasions. As tempting as the idea was, she knew that it would truly be a really stupid idea. The whole point was to try and get over him. Being surrounded by his things – and probably even by his 'smell' definitely wouldn't help matters. There was also the danger that he'd show up himself. Wouldn't that be a fun to try and explain!

In the end she decided to just get in her car and drive. A trip across the country – her own country – might be just what she needed. Heck, she spent huge portions of her year on other planets and had hardly been anywhere on her own in years. That decided, she grabbed her bag, her purse and her keys and headed out the door. Getting behind the wheel of her car she was soon on the highway going to someplace, somewhere.

"Where's Carter?" Jack asked, trying to be casual about it. He'd finally been released and was about to head home. He hadn't seen the Major in a couple of days but hadn't wanted to ask where she was and no one had said anything to him.

"Uh – she went on vacation." Daniel answered, looking uncomfortable.

"What?" Jack stopped and looked at his friend in shock. "On _**vacation?**_"

"Yeah. You know the General gave us all two weeks off? Well, I think she wanted to get away for a while. She had kind of a hard time of it."

"I know Daniel. I was there, remember!" Jack turned and stalked away. God, she couldn't even bear to be around him. There goes that dream!

"Jack, come on I'll drive you home." Daniel hurried after him; worried at the look he'd seen on the Colonel's face.

"I have my truck", Jack answered abruptly.

"Okay then, why don't I meet you at your place? We can watch the game or something. Why don't we invite Teal'c over as well – make it a team night." Oops, Daniel winced. Way to go Jackson, remind Jack of the team and who's missing.

"Daniel, I feel like being alone." Jack kept walking toward the elevator.

"But Jack, are you su- "

"I'm SURE okay? Just let it go Daniel. I don't need you or Teal'c or anyone right now." The elevator arrived and Jack got in and viciously punched the button.

"Jack – I just want to …. help." His voice faded to nothing as the doors closed. He shook his head. He had been right – his two friends were idiots, intent on destroying any chance of happiness they might have had. As he turned back to his office he wondered how this was all going to turn out.

Jack got in his truck and drove home. By the time he arrived at his house he realized he hadn't noticed anything about the journey. He'd literally been operating on autopilot. It was a good thing he hadn't had an accident. He unlocked the door to his house and the first thing he noticed was the musty smell along with that of something that had definitely gone bad in his kitchen. Wrinkling his nose he dropped his duffel bag and walked to the kitchen. He finally found the culprit in a bag of onions that had gone rotten in his lengthy absence.

"Oooh" he muttered as he wrapped them in a bag and took them out to the trash. As he walked back in he noticed how chilly it had gotten outside. Very chilly for this time of year, he thought.

Entering his house he went over and turned up the heat and then went and threw a sweatshirt on over the shirt he was wearing.

Not wanting to think about anything right now he sat down and turned on the TV. He flipped back and forth from one channel to the other, not finding anything he really wanted to watch. After a while he stood up and went to the kitchen. Opening the fridge he couldn't find anything that appealed – or that was even edible. He wasn't hungry anyway. He finally just grabbed a beer, opened it and returned to the living room. He took one sip and set it down. It didn't taste very good.

Restless, he stood up again and wandered around his house. As he walked by the thermostat he reached over and turned it up. The heating didn't seem to be working too well. He'd have to check it out tomorrow and maybe get the repairman in.

After a couple of hours he decided he might as well try and go to bed. He wasn't particularly tired but didn't know what else to do. As he lay down he tried everything to keep his mind off the one thing he didn't want to touch. He would _**not **_think about … Carter. She was nothing more than his 2IC and never would be. After tossing and turning for a while he got up and went to the guest room. Grabbing the comforter off of the bed he returned to his room and threw it over his covers. The heat definitely wasn't working.

It was finally early morning before he fell into a restless sleep. Visions of the planet, of D'jindra and Ba'al and finally of Sam kept intruding on his dreams. It was the memory of her body pressed up against his that finally gave him some comfort. For a while he slept deeply until a new dream intruded. This one was of Sam – a very pregnant Sam – laughing at him as she walked off, arm in arm, with Pete. With a groan he sat up suddenly, instantly and violently awake, shaking from the effects of the nightmare.

"God" he groaned again, pulling his hands through his hair. "Why the hell did I have to love you Sam?" Throwing his feet over the side of the bed he walked to the bathroom. After relieving himself he turned the shower on. He was still shaking from the nightmare and needed something to get his mind off things. When the water was hot he stripped and got in.

He stayed in for a long time, turning the heat up every few minutes. It seemed to cool down as he stood under the stream. Something was definitely wrong with his heating system, he thought. As he turned the heat all the way up he didn't even notice that he was scalding his skin. All he knew was that it was cold, he was cold, and he had to warm up.

He finally got out, thinking that the hot water had run out. He grabbed a towel and quickly dried himself off.

"Ow!" His skin hurt. He looked down and saw that it was bright red and blistered in places. "What the hell?" he wondered. "What was wrong with him?" He then looked down at his chest, which still sported the rings with the chain in between. He laughed to himself. Life was hell.

Knowing that he should do something about whatever was wrong with his skin he decided it didn't matter. Putting on as many clothes as he could, he crawled into bed, piling the blankets on top. Turning, he tried to fall asleep.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sam woke up with a start. It took her a minute to realize where she was. For a while she imagined she was back on Matsya's planet with Jack. When it sunk in that she was actually in a Motel 6 in the middle of South Dakota she closed her eyes, unutterably weary and disappointed. By the time morning came she was exhausted. She'd hardly slept. Anytime she closed her eyes she would dream about her time with Jack on the planet. The dreams always started out well but ended up with some horrible twist. The last one had her giving birth to Jack's child and then watching as Matsya came and took it away, laughing and bragging that he was giving it to Ba'al. She had woken up, shaking and in a cold sweat.

This morning she woke up exhausted and sick – again. She'd hoped that the virus had left her but it appeared to have returned. She went to sit up and ended up having to run to the bathroom, just making it before she lost the little bit of supper she'd eaten.

Besides feeling tired and sick, she also had no appetite. It wasn't surprising, really. With everything she'd been through it was to be expected that the trauma of it all would finally get to her. Sitting back down on the bed she rested her eyes, her head still swimming. Turning to look at the clock radio by the bed she saw that it was only 5 a.m. She could try to sleep or just get up and get on the highway. It's not that she had anywhere to go, but at least driving gave her something to do.

As each mile of her trip had rolled by Sam had tried to come to a decision as to what to do with her life. She spent a lot of time thinking of Pete and their possible life together. Could she be happy married to him? What would it be like, running around the galaxy by day, fighting aliens and saving the world, and returning to a normal husband who wanted to talk about his day handing out speeding tickets and wanted to get together with the neighbors and play bridge! Could she do that? Could she split her life in two – one part the Air Force officer with the exotic job, the other plain Mrs. Shanahan?

It was somewhere in Nebraska that it came to her. Of course she couldn't marry Pete. She couldn't do that to a decent, kind man. Her life was too crazy, too _different_. What would he tell the neighbors when she didn't return for days at a time? "Oh, my wife is off fighting aliens. She'll be back on Monday and I'm sure she'd love to get together for tea!" No – it wasn't fair to him and, she realized, upon entering S. Dakota, it wasn't fair to her either. She didn't need normal. No, what she needed was someone who understood her and could hold her when things went bad. Someone that understood that sick feeling you got when you'd killed someone – even if that someone was evil and intent on destroying you. She needed someone who understood that you sometimes had to do things that you didn't want to do but that were for the greater good. Someone that got duty and sacrifice and honor. Someone who told her she really could blow up a sun. No, she didn't need 'normal'. What she needed was Jack!

What the hell had she been thinking? She pulled the car off to the side of the road and slammed on the brakes. Staring out the window she thought back to what she'd said and done before leaving the SGC. How could she have been so awful? She'd just left the man she loved – the man she'd _**told**_ she loved – without a word. She'd even refused to talk to him while he was still lying sick, in the Infirmary.

"You Samantha Carter are an idiot! Daniel was right, you're screwing things up." Just then there was a knock on her window, which just about caused her to have a heart attack. Turning, she saw the face of a policeman looking at her through the driver's window. Fumbling, she opened it up.

"Something wrong Officer?" she asked.

"That's what I was going to ask you Ma'am. You pulled over suddenly and stopped. Is something wrong?"

"Uh – sorry, I was just feeling a little sick, but I'm better now."

"Are you sure? Are you safe to drive?"

"Yes, I think so. It was just something I ate but I'm better now."

"Well, you'd better get going then. It's not safe to sit here. Take it easy now. I suggest you stop in the town up ahead and get a cup of coffee or something. Make sure you don't drive if you're unwell."

"Okay. Thanks officer, I'll do that." Rolling up the window Sam carefully pulled off the shoulder and began to drive. What she'd said to the policeman was true – she still felt sick. At the same time, she felt an incredible sense of relief. She was going to tell Pete it was over (that thought made her feel even more sick) and then she was going to talk to Jack.

She didn't know if anything would come of that. They still had the regs to deal with and so maybe things would return to normal – she laughed a bit at that thought – or to the way they had been before Pete - but at least there _**would**_ be no Pete in the way. They could 'lock it up' again, but at least they'd know where they stood with each other.

A few minutes later she stopped in the small town of … Benson. Glancing up she realized that she was no longer in S. Dakota but at some point had entered Minnesota. Ironic, she thought. Maybe she should just go and stay at Jack's. She could check to make sure he wasn't there. She could call Daniel and find out if he'd come up to his cabin. With a pang of guilt she realized she her friend an apology. She'd been awful to him as well.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

By the next morning Jack felt worse than ever. He felt like he'd received a serious sunburn. His skin was tight and hot – but at the same time he was cold. The heat wasn't working at all. He decided, at the last minute, that he'd drive up to his cabin. He needed to get away and at least there he could do something. He had a number of things around his cabin that needed fixing. That would keep him busy and his mind occupied. He also figured that the heat would be working there.

He should call the repairman to come in and fix it so that it was working when he was back. He'd give Danny a call and arrange to have him come and let the man in.

As he waited for Daniel to answer he shivered. Damn, it was cold out – not a good time for the heat to go.

"Hello."

"Hi Daniel."

"Jack?"

"Yeah. I'm calling to ask a favor."

"Ah, okay. What is it?"

"I'm going to head up to my cabin for a few days. I need to get away and the heater in my house went. I'm going to call a repairman to come and fix it but was wondering if I could have you let him in?"

"Sure, yeah – of course. Just let me know when and I'll be there."

"Great, thanks Daniel. I'll call you back with the details."

"Uh Jack – how are you doing?" Daniel had been worried and had planned to check up on his friend the first chance he had. Both he and Teal'c had discussed it and felt that they had to do something.

"Just fine Daniel. Glad to be out of the Infirmary."

"Are you sure you're up to going to the cabin?"

"Of course. It'll be good to get away. I have some things I need to look after up there. I've been meaning to fix some of the shingles on the roof and the dock needs some work. I'll be fine." He worked really hard to make sure his voice sounded okay. Yup, just happy-go-lucky, nothing wrong in my world Jack. He knew Daniel didn't buy it – but as long as the man pretended it didn't matter. He just really didn't want to talk about anything serious right now.

"All right. Well take it easy. Give us a call when you get in okay? You know how Teal'c worries!"

"Yeah Daniel. I wouldn't want to worry _**Teal'c**_. I'll call you in a couple of days. Thanks again." As he hung up the phone Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He'd gotten through that relatively easily.

Once he'd arranged for the repairman and had called Daniel with the details he'd packed a few clothes and had headed out. Cranking the heat in his truck as high as it would go (he was still chilled from the lack of heat in the house) he began the two-day drive to Minnesota.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Sam stopped at a small diner and ordered a tea and a bagel. She didn't think her stomach could handle anything more. She was starting to get a little worried. Maybe she had picked up something more serious on Matsya's planet and it just hadn't shown up yet in the tests. She knew that sometimes it took a while before you could tell if you were sick … she stopped. Sometimes it took a while? No, there was no way. Janet said she wasn't and she'd know, wouldn't she?

Sam suddenly felt like throwing up again but this time due to panic. She stood up and rushed to the Restroom. It was while she was there, sitting in one of the cubicles, that she convinced herself it couldn't be true. She wouldn't have been getting morning sickness so soon. She knew it took at least three or four weeks – not days – before you would feel the symptoms. So, it had to be something else.

As she returned to her seat in the restaurant, shaky and still nauseated, she suddenly stopped. She had received some of the stuff that the Colonel had been given. It was supposed to be a fertility drug and they could definitely cause nausea, almost like in pregnancy. Maybe that is what had affected her on the planet. But if that were the case, why did she still feel sick?

She knew she had to find out, even though she was terrified. She asked the waitress where the nearest Pharmacy was and, after paying her bill, walked to the Walgreens down the street.

As she exited the store carrying the bag with the pregnancy test, she knew there was no way she could go to some public restroom or hotel to do this. No, she had to be somewhere safe. She could drive back to Colorado, but that would take almost two days. The other option was, of course, going to Jack's cabin. Somehow, that seemed right. First, she had to call Daniel.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Hey Teal'c, it's me, Daniel. I was calling to see if you wanted to come over to Jack's with me?... "No, he's gone to his cabin but he asked me to let in a repairman – the heat's broken in his house. …. Yeah, bundle up and I'll pick you up. The repairman is coming in a couple of hours and we can watch a movie – Jack's TV is much better than either yours or mine….. No, you know him, he won't mind….. Okay, I'll pick you up in an hour." As Daniel hung up the phone he again wondered how Jack and Sam were doing. He hoped they were going to be okay.

As he left his apartment he missed the ringing of his phone.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

She'd been unable to reach Daniel. He was probably off somewhere with Teal'c, whom she couldn't reach either. Maybe they had decided to do a vacation of their own. Oh well, she'd chance going to the cabin. She doubted Jack would feel up to going after all he'd been through.

She'd purchased a map of Minnesota and hoped she remembered the directions Jack had given her in case she ever decided to take him up on his offer. She knew it was close to a small town – she looked at the map – yes, there it was. She figured that if she had trouble she could simply stop and ask. She was pretty sure that people would know who Jack was in that part of the world. She knew the cabin had been in their family for years.

As she drove she couldn't help but keep looking at the package sitting on the seat beside her. She didn't know how to feel. She knew she'd been terribly disappointed about not being pregnant when she'd taken the original test – but that was before she'd screwed things up with Jack. Would he even want a child? She didn't know.

It was late in the evening by the time she reached the cabin. She'd taken a couple of wrong turns and at one point had gotten terribly lost. Fortunately, she'd stopped and asked for directions and a very nice couple had led her to the access road to Jack's cabin. They had known him for years and their raised eyebrows and grins probably meant he was in for a grilling the next time he was up.

As she pulled into the driveway she could see that the place was dark. Thank heavens. That meant he wasn't here. Stepping out of the car she had to grab the door to steady herself. She was feeling quite dizzy.

Going around to the back she looked in the place he told her he had a key hidden. After rummaging around for a few minutes she found it. "Yes!" She took it and, grabbing her case, opened the door.

She had never been to his cabin before, knowing it would be too dangerous to be alone with him. So, she was curious as she turned on the light. Looking around she smiled. Yes, this was definitely a Jack O'Neill house. It was warm and cozy while still being masculine. The furniture was old and looked well loved. He had a big couch, clearly long enough for his tall frame to lie out on. He also had quite a selection of books. There was a stereo but no TV. He must like to enjoy quiet and solitude when he was here.

Sighing, she walked in, feeling the tension and distress of the last few days drop away from her. Here she felt safe and wrapped in a warmth she hadn't felt since those few days on the planet when she and Jack had slept in each other's arms. Putting her things on the floor she walked over and sat down, loving the feeling of sitting in a place she knew Jack loved.

After a few minutes she stood up and checked out the rest of the cabin. There were three bedrooms, the master (which was definitely Jack's by the look of the clothes and things lying around, especially the picture of Charlie which stood on the nightstand) and two guest rooms. She debated for a minute but then brought her things into the master bedroom. She wanted to sleep in Jack's bed.

Putting her few things away she made her way to the bathroom where she cleaned her teeth and got ready for bed. Returning to the bedroom she dressed in her pajamas and then went out and turned all the lights out. Knowing that she was avoiding the inevitable, she finally went and retrieved the pregnancy test. With a small prayer – for what she didn't know – she walked back into the bathroom. This was it!

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Daniel pulled into Jack's driveway and got out, followed by Teal'c.

"The repairman is supposed to be here at three. Keep your coat on; I expect it will be cold in the house. Good thing it's not winter." Daniel reached over, unlocked the door and walked in.

"Holy Crap!" he exclaimed. "What's going on?"

"It is very hot Daniel Jackson."

"I know. It feels like a furnace in here." He walked over to the thermostat, which read 95 degrees. "What the hell is going on? I thought Jack meant the heat was off. He must have meant that it was broken and he couldn't turn it down. I'll try and turn it down anyway." Daniel adjusted the thermostat and then he and Teal'c went and opened windows throughout the house.

"Daniel Jackson!"

"Yeah Teal'c?"

"I think you should come here." Teal'c was calling from upstairs. Daniel took the stairs two at a time until he found his friend, standing in the door of Jack's bedroom.

Worried, Daniel asked what was wrong.

"Look", Teal'c pointed to the bed. Daniel looked at the bed and back to Teal'c.

"What's going on?" Both men stared at the thick pile of blankets and comforters that covered the unmade bed. "Why would he have had so many blankets? Do you think the heat was off and then came back on on its own?"

"That is possible. It may also be that he is unwell again."

The two men looked at each other, worried now about their friend. "I thought Janet said he was okay."

"It may have only been temporary. Did not D'jindra say the condition was permanent? It may be that there is no cure – that there is only a temporary treatment."

"Do you mean that he will have to take the injections regularly?"

"It is possible. Or it may be that they are not sufficient. Did you not hear that it was not just the body but also the mind and emotions that played a role? Maybe O'Neill needs more than just Major Carter's DNA. Maybe he needs her."

Daniel looked at his friend, worried about Jack, but also hopeful. If that was true it might mean they'd have to come together. This time he was going to tell Sam – he didn't care what Jack said.

"What should we do Teal'c? I'm worried that he could be really sick."

"I suggest we wait for the repairman to tell us if there is something wrong. If there is not, we must make our way to O'Neill's cabin. We must call Dr. Frasier and have her accompany us."

"It's a long drive Teal'c."

"Can we not fly?"

"Yeah – we could probably ask General Hammond to arrange a transport for us." Just then the doorbell rang. The two friends went to answer it, not sure what they wished for.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jack steadily felt worse the more he drove. No matter what he did, he couldn't get warm. He'd been driving for a number of hours before the truth hit him.

God, what an idiot he'd been. He'd just spent days suffering from this addiction, freezing cold, and it hadn't registered that that was what was happening again. He could only blame his distraction on his feeling of depression and loss. That, and the fact that he'd so hoped he was okay after the injection. He realized that a part of him had known all along, he just hadn't wanted to admit it.

He was going to pull into a small hotel but then decided that he'd really rather sleep in his own bed, even if it meant arriving late. He knew it was probably stupid, especially with the way he felt, but, like a wounded animal, he desperately needed to find someplace safe. For him, that was his cabin.

He finally arrived at close to 3:30 in the morning. Exhausted, freezing, weak and sick he stumbled out of his truck, not noticing the car parked over to the side. He walked to his door and unlocked it. Entering into his house he decided he simply needed to sleep. He didn't even bother to turn on any of the lights.

Knowing he'd better go to the bathroom first he walked in and used the toilet in the dark. He knew this place like the back of his hand and didn't need a light. It was as he reached to wash his hands that he heard something fall on the floor. Wondering what it could be – he was usually meticulous about leaving the place clean when he left – he reached over and turned on the light. Looking around he saw something sticking out from under the cabinet. Kneeling down he picked up a long, white plastic stick of some kind. What the hell was it?

He stood up, his knees creaking, and looked at the object. It looked familiar but he couldn't place where he'd seen one before. Finally, turning it over, he saw that it had a tiny window.

Sitting down suddenly on the edge of the bathtub, he realized what he was looking at. But what the hell was it doing here? He hadn't had guests up here since Teal'c and this was very definitely _**not**_ something he would have. What was going on?

It was then that he noticed something else. There was a travel bag sitting on the top of the toilet tank. He could see a toothbrush and toothpaste and what looked like some kind of flowery shampoo. Someone was in his cabin! Putting the white stick in his back pocket he stood up.

Shit, he didn't even have a weapon on him. Hoping that it was just some traveler who'd gotten lost and had decided to use his cabin, he made his way silently out of the bathroom. He eased his shoes off, not wanting to make a noise, and began to check out his place. Everything seemed okay. He carefully checked each of the guest rooms but they were empty. That left his bedroom – and the door was closed.

Walking silently to the door he reached down and slowly turned the handle. He almost blew it as a sudden, violent shiver shook his body causing the door to rattle slightly. Not now, damn it, he thought. Keep your cool O'Neill. That made him smile briefly – that definitely wasn't a problem right now!

He opened the door, glad that he kept the hinges well oiled, and looked into the room. At first he couldn't see anything but then noticed the lump in the bed. Someone was definitely sleeping in _his _bed. Pretty sure it wasn't Goldilocks he made his way over until he stood looking at the body under the covers. He couldn't tell who it was – although he was pretty certain it was a woman based on what he had found – all he could tell was that she was asleep from the sounds of the even breathing and the regular movement of the covers.

Moving quickly he jumped on the bed and straddled the person, holding on to the blanket covered arms. He still couldn't see the person's face, covered as it was by a sheet.

"Don't move!" he spoke loudly. He was answered by a small 'squeak'. It took him a moment to realize he recognized that squeak!

"Sam?" He felt, rather than saw, a small nod. He carefully got off the body and sat back on the side of the bed. Nobody moved for a second until he saw an arm gradually snake out from under the covers. It cautiously pushed them down until he was looking in the very sheepish face of Sam Carter. A Sam Carter with red rimmed eyes and very tousled hair.

"What are you doing here?" he asked calmly. Actually, he wasn't calm at all – it was more like shock – as the fact of her presence hadn't really caught up to him yet.

"Uh – I'm sorry Sir", she answered softly, guiltily. "I didn't mean to intrude. I just needed to get away and you told me I could use your cabin whenever I wanted. I didn't think you'd be using it. I can go." She pulled the blankets aside and started to get up. He reached over and stopped her.

"No, stay." He didn't know what else to say. He was stunned and couldn't figure out what was happening. He was also sick and that was making it hard to concentrate. All he wanted to do was lie down with Sam curled up against him. He continued to stare at her until she began to look puzzled.

She couldn't figure out what was going on. She'd been mortified when Jack had found her – or tackled her more like. She expected him to be angry or sarcastic – but not this silent, stunned looking man. As she continued to look she suddenly realized that Jack was shaking as if he were freezing. Oh no, not again. The 'cure' had obviously not worked.

"Come here Sir", she said gently. Taking his hands she pulled him onto the bed and pushed him down. She then walked around and lifted his feet – noticing that he'd already taken off his shoes. She pulled the blankets up around him but saw that he was still shivering. Finally, not knowing what else to do, she climbed in with him and wrapped her arms around him. She could feel the sigh that went through him and felt his arms gather her tightly against him. He buried his face in her hair and was silent.

Slowly, his tremors seemed to get better. Again, her nearness was helping. Thank God she was here, she thought, her earlier embarrassment giving way to relief. What if he'd been on his own? As she lay there, she suddenly felt that everything was going to be all right. Oh, they still needed to find a cure – but they'd figure it out. There was no way she was going to lose him, not now.

Jack still hadn't said anything more after asking her to stay. He was holding her fiercely, almost as if he was afraid she would leave. It wasn't surprising that he'd think that, not after the way she'd acted.

"It's okay Jack. I'm not leaving you ever again." She whispered to him. It was a few seconds later that she felt something wet drop on her neck. She couldn't figure out what it was and pulled her head back. Jack tried not to let her see but she reached down and touched his face. That's when she realized he was crying. Oh God, what had she done to him? She gently, carefully kissed his cheeks, murmuring soft words of reassurance and love. After a while he calmed and his arms relaxed and he slept. She soon followed.

The sun was just rising, golden light entering the room, when she felt him stir. She looked down at him and saw that his face was pale and he was still shivering, although not as badly as before. Placing a small kiss on his cheek she saw his eyes begin to open.

"Morning", she spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the tender moment.

"Morning", he replied, equally as softly.

"How are you Jack?" she asked, concerned.

"Better – good – great." He grinned, looking both happy and sick.

"We need to get you back to the SGC. You're sick again."

"Mmm hmm" he agreed although he didn't seem to care. He continued to grin.

"Why did you drive here when you were sick?" She started to get peeved. The stupid man could have killed himself.

"Didn't know I was sick till I was almost here." He closed his eyes but kept his arms around her. No way was he letting her go – ever!

"Jack, I should get up and call Janet."

"No phone." He had it disconnected when he wasn't here.

"I've got my cell."

"No service." He started to nuzzle her neck. He might be sick – he wasn't dead!

"Jack!" She squeaked again. He loved her squeak.

"What are you doing?" She asked as his hands began to wander.

"If you don't know Sam, then I'm obviously not doing it right!" A shiver went through him but he ignored it. He figured that he really needed some body heat right now.

"Jack"

"Yeah?"

"I love you." He stopped what he was doing and leaned back so he could look in her face. Staring intently he wanted to make sure he had heard her right.

"I love you too. Does this mean …?"

"Yes, I hope so."

"What about the regs? You know what we're doing is wrong?"

"No, it's not wrong. We've given up everything for the Air Force and this is our time. Anyway, there are extenuating circumstances."

"Really? What would those be?"

"I'll tell you later." She noticed that his shivering was increasing. "Jack, should we be doing this? You're sick?"

"It's okay. This'll make me feel better – warm me up."

She grinned and blushed at the same time. "Yeah – that's what I'll say. I needed to warm you up!" She reached up and pulled his face down to hers.

Later they lay naked in each other's arms both sated and very, very happy. Jack was feeling great, better than he had in …. He stopped. He didn't remember ever feeling this good. It was quite amazing.

"Jack?" Sam was playing with the chain on his chest. For the first time he kind of appreciated the rings. They had added a new … dimension, which was really quite interesting. Maybe he shouldn't get rid of them right away!

"Yes?"

"How are you feeling?" She looked at him with worry in her eyes.

"I feel good – great even. I think you cured me."

"Really?"

"Yeah – really." He wondered if now was the time to tell her? No, he figured that had better wait. She might worry that that was the only reason … ah hell. She wouldn't believe that would she? Yes, she would. Crap – he was going to have to convince her that it had been the last thing on his mind. He definitely hadn't made love to her for any reason other than because he loved her.

That thought was swiftly followed by another one. There was something he needed to ask her.

"Uh Sam?"

"Yes?" He got out of bed and found his pants, which had been thrown across the room. He reached in the back pocket and pulled out the white stick. Walking to the bed he sat down on the edge and held it up.

"Care to tell me about this?" he asked sweetly

She looked up, guilt written all over her face. How had he found – oh crap, she'd left it in the bathroom.

"Uh, I kept feeling sick and thought that maybe I should take another test. The first one was negative but sometimes, if it's too early, they don't work."

He looked down at the stick and saw the two little red lines. Looking up again he grinned. "So, does this mean I'm going to be a Daddy again?"

She smiled back, relieved and overjoyed at his reaction. "Yes" she answered simply. He threw the stick over his shoulder and reached for her, happier than he could remember being in a long, long time.

Neither of them heard the door to the cabin open or the sound of worried voices. The two lovers were sound asleep, entwined in each other's arms, exhausted by the trauma and the joy of the past weeks. Nor did they hear the door to the bedroom open or the footsteps that approached the bed.

There was complete silence as the eyes of their friends, Daniel, Teal'c and Janet, looked down and watched the two sleep soundly, their faces relaxed and happy. Gesturing silently, Janet indicated that they should all leave. They quietly exited, relieved and joyful at what they had just witnessed.

_**There is an epilogue to follow. Sorry to those who didn't want a pregnant Sam. I just couldn't resist! **_


	33. Cabin Interlude

_**I'm sorry everyone – this was supposed to be a short epilogue and then got longer and longer so there will actually be another chapter after this one. It's almost finished though and I have another story in the works.**_

When Jack woke up he could tell it was quite late by the amount of light coming in the window. It was unusual for him to sleep in but this time he wasn't surprised. It had been a long drive yesterday. He had just decided to get up and use the facilities when he heard a soft snort beside him.

He looked to his right and couldn't help but grin. Sam was sound asleep, mouth hanging open. A thin trail of drool was hanging from the corner of her lips and dropping on the pillow. For some strange reason this made Jack incredibly happy. Okay, call him weird; there was just something so … normal, so domestic about this scene. As wonderful as newly discovered (or at least newly admitted) love was, he knew that the day-to-day loving, with all its ups and downs, was even better. Looking at the woman he loved looking – well 'tousled' would be putting it nicely, made an incredible feeling of tenderness surge up in his breast. She probably even had morning breath!

For the first time in years he was looking forward to the future. He looked forward to being there when Sam was sick, when she was crabby, heck, even when she was angry. True love was being there for each other through everything, good or bad, and that's what he wanted with Sam. He'd had that with Sara but circumstances had ripped it from him. There was no way he was going to let that happen again. No, he was looking forward to a real life with this woman – a _**normal**_ life! Or at least as normal as they could get!

As he lay on his side, propped up on his elbow and looking at the woman sleeping beside him, he knew he was the luckiest man in the world. God must have forgiven him, he thought, to have given him this amazing person. As she snorted again, smacking her lips together and turning over, he had to keep from laughing. Yes, this was real life!

On that thought he decided he'd really better get up. Very carefully, so as not to disturb her, he swung his legs over the side and stood. Expecting to feel tired or dizzy – the way he'd felt for so long, he was surprised and pleased to realize he felt great. Not only did he feel alert and strong, his knees didn't creak or even hurt. He tried bending his legs a bit and they still felt totally fine. The old 'kozars' were doing better than they had in years.

He walked to the door and opened it, taking one last look at the sleeping woman in the bed. Smiling, he walked out and headed for the bathroom.

Once he'd finished he realized he was starving. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten a good meal. He suddenly had a craving for pancakes and bacon! Damn, he didn't have any food in the house! Oh well, maybe he had some dried goods or something and when Sam was up they could head into town. He didn't know if she'd be very hungry but he definitely needed to eat. As he opened the bathroom door, planning to head to the kitchen, he heard a sound.

Stopping suddenly he realized that voices were coming from the main room. What was going on? No one ever came to his cabin and suddenly people were dropping in like flies. He hoped this wasn't something bad. Slowly he crept down the short hallway.

"Shhh Daniel Jackson, you will wake them up!" Teal'c's voice was actually louder than Daniel's had been when he'd spoken. Janet frantically waved her arms, trying to get the two men to be quiet. Jack and Sam both needed their sleep.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Three startled pairs of eyes turned towards the new voice. There, in the hallway, stood Jack, dressed in nothing but boxer shorts, a bemused expression on his face.

"Jack!" "O'Neill", "Colonel", three voices spoke at once.

"Yes, you clearly all know who I am, the question is, do you know where you are?" he asked sweetly. "The last time I checked this was my _**home**_. I always thought it was considered polite to let someone know when you were coming for a visit." The friends all looked guilty but not too worried. Although Jack's words were sarcastic, the tone of his voice was not. If anything, he sounded rather pleased with the world.

"Sorry Jack. We were worried about you so thought we'd better come and check and see if you were okay." Daniel answered for all of them.

"I see. All the way to _Minnesota_? Isn't that a bit out of your way?"

"We were _**very**_ worried O'Neill." Teal'c added as if this made a trip half-way across the country a logical thing to do.

"Okay … but why were you worried?" Jack was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed. He was secretly very touched by their concern but didn't want to let on. They all deserved a bit of ribbing after scaring the pants off him.

"Well, you asked me to let the repairman in to fix your heat."

"Yes, I remember Daniel. I can certainly see why that would worry you." Jack raised his eyebrows.

"Well", Daniel continued, a sarcastic tone in _**his**_ voice, "when Teal'c and I arrived at your house it felt like we'd walked into a furnace. The heat wasn't broken – you had it cranked up as high as it could go. When the repairman got there he said there was nothing wrong with it. Oh, by the way, you owe me $150. Anyway, Teal'c and I realized you must be sick again if you thought it was cold when it clearly wasn't. So, we called Janet and here we are." Jack almost expected to hear a 'ta da' at the end of the explanation.

"I see." Jack looked at his friends all sitting looking at him expectantly. God, he loved these guys! He was just about to say something when he noticed that they all looked quite pleased with themselves. Wait! When had they arrived? They certainly hadn't been here when he got home last night. Looking at the clutter around the room, and the fact that Janet was wearing what looked like a bathrobe, he figured they must have been here for a while. If that was the case, and they'd been so worried about him, why hadn't they checked to see if he was okay? Surely they wouldn't wait for him to wake up? Not if he was sick.

He looked suspiciously at his friends. Janet was the first to lose eye contact, followed by Daniel. Teal'c continued to look at him, as inscrutable as ever, but there was still _**something**_ in his eyes.

"So, you came to check on me. Funny that you just let me sleep. If you were so worried why didn't you come in and wake me up."

There was a long pause. It was clear each of them was hoping the other would speak. It was Daniel who cracked first.

"We did. Well, we didn't wake you up but we did check on you. You – ah – seemed just fine so we left you to sleep." He stopped then but Jack could see the slight smirk hidden deep in those blue eyes. He swiftly glanced at Frasier and was sure he caught a smile, although she hid it quickly. Teal'c simply raised that damn eyebrow.

Jack could feel his face start to turn red. Damn it all – he was too old to be _blushing_ for God's sake!

"Oh". He didn't quite know what to say. He cleared his throat and decided that he was not going to react. He hadn't done anything wrong! Well, now that he thought about it, yes, he had. But he wasn't going to feel guilty about it!

"What time is it?" That's the way O'Neill, just ignore it – and them.

"Uh, it's 11:30. We were just discussing going to get something to eat. You don't have much here." Daniel sounded peeved. He was really hungry.

"Well I didn't exactly expect guests Daniel. I was going to go in and get some food after …" He stopped. Oh shit, this was getting awkward. With a sigh he walked over and sat on the couch and put his head in his hands.

His friends looked at each other, starting to feel bad. Was he upset? Had things gone wrong? Everything had seemed to be okay when they'd found Jack and Sam together.

"Uh Jack, if you want us to leave we will", Daniel walked over and sat beside his friend. "We don't want to bother you. We really were just worried." And still are, he thought.

Jack put his head up and grinned. It was definitely the shit-eating grin Jack used when he was really pleased about something. Daniel, Teal'c and Janet all breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"No, you don't have to leave. I'm glad you're here. Just threw me a bit is all. I'd expected to come up and have the cabin to myself for a couple of weeks. Instead people keep popping up. I just had to take a moment to get used to it."

"Are you sorry Sir?" Janet walked over and sat in the chair across from Jack.

"Sorry?"

"That we all – uh 'popped up'?

Jack grinned again – "No. Actually I'm kinda glad. In fact – I was _**really**_ glad last night that someone had … popped up!" He looked at his friends. Yes, they knew about Sam and him. There was no point in being uncomfortable or embarrassed. He could tell they were pleased but also felt awkward about saying anything.

Daniel grinned back. "Yes, that must have been a bit of a surprise."

"Tell me about it. I got here in the middle of the night and went to bed and there was someone already there!"

"And you instantly ran screaming into the night?"

"No, I got into bed too. I was cold, remember? Nothing like a good, warm teddy bear to snuggle up with."

"A blond teddy bear I assume Sir?"

"Yup – blond hair, blue eyes, _**great**_ body. Yup – my favorite teddy bear." He grinned again – in fact, he couldn't stop smiling. Life was great.

Janet and Daniel both laughed and Teal'c actually smiled. "We're happy for you guys Jack. It's about time!"

"Yeah, well, what can I say? It hasn't been exactly easy." He grew more serious, knowing that there were still tough times ahead.

"Colonel, I would still like to check you over. You seem to be better but I want to make sure." Janet was looking seriously at him.

"Yeah okay Janet. Give me while though. I feel really great but I'm starving. I think we should run into town and pick up some groceries first." Jack glanced down and suddenly realized he was almost naked. Geesh! It was a good thing he'd grabbed his boxers. He often ran around his cabin in the buff! He also realized that he'd forgotten about the stupid rings! He could feel his ears getting red again. God, blushing twice in one day. He _never_ blushed. He was a Colonel in the Air Force, for heavens sakes! Fortunately no one seemed to notice, or at least they weren't saying anything. Still, he'd better get dressed.

"So Jack." Damn, Daniel was using his 'let's talk about it voice'.

"What Daniel."

"It appears to have worked."

"What worked?" He looked in confusion at his friend. What was he talking about now?

"Uh, you're obviously better so the .. uh … Mai'thun thing – it actually worked."

Silence greeted this statement. What was Jack supposed to say? Yes Daniel, I had sex with Sam and now I'm all better. That was so not going to happen. He simply stared at the younger man.

"Do you think it's permanent or do you thing you'll have to keep …." Daniel's voice petered out as if he realized what he was talking about.

"Daniel!" Janet glared at the archaeologist. "For heavens sake, don't bug the Colonel about that now." Jack turned and looked at her. What? He was supposed to bug him about it later?

"Oh, sorry Jack. I was just wondering. Well, I've been worried you know!" he justified himself. "At least now you don't have to hide it from Sam."

Oh no! Jack closed his eyes. This was bad. He hadn't told Sam. He remembered his worry of last night. Their relationship was still so new. He didn't want her to get the wrong idea.

"Look guys" he said, very seriously. "Sam doesn't know about the 'cure' for my 'illness' and I don't want you to say anything."

"But Jack, she'll have to know." Daniel looked concerned, as did the others.

"Of course she will and I'm going to tell her. I just don't want her to get the idea that I – that we – oh hell, did _**you know**_, because of that. I wasn't even thinking about my illness last night. I love Sam – more than you'll ever know – _**that's**_ why I made love to her." There, he'd said it! "Not because of some stupid addiction. I don't want her to get the idea that last night was to help me because it wasn't. I only realized what it meant when I woke up and felt better."

"Colonel, we know that and I'm sure Sam will too. There's something else you don't know. Martia told us that those drugs you were given wouldn't have had this effect if you and Sam didn't already love each other. There's something in the drugs that connect with – what did she call it? –your 'auras' and combine to create the addiction. It's much more than physical. There's a mental and emotional element as well. So, if you hadn't loved each other you wouldn't be addicted."

Jack looked surprised, but pleased. "Really? Wow. So what would have happened if we hadn't – you know" (he still felt rather uncomfortable about the whole discussion – especially sitting in his underwear).

"Martia said that it would have caused you to have an aversion to one another. You would never have been able to … Mai'thun."

"Oh"

Sam stood frozen listening to the conversation. She'd woken up a while ago and had wondered where Jack was. She'd decided to go and check, hoping everything was okay. As she'd padded down the hall she'd heard voices. At first startled, it didn't take her long to realize to whom they belonged. Smiling she was going to show herself when the conversation about Jack's illness began.

Surprised, and then shocked, she listened as they spoke. So that's what was going on. That's why her presence had seemed to help him. But why hadn't he told her that – making love – would cure him? It came to her in a blinding flash. It was the same reason he'd been upset about what had happened on the planet. He thought she would have done it regardless of her feelings for him. That it could have screwed up a possible relationship.

Suddenly she felt blazingly angry. He would have let himself die rather than tell her! Goddamn the man! Sometimes she wanted to kill him herself. What made her even angrier was their friends had clearly been in on it. How could Janet have gone along with it? Surely someone should have told her.

Wait. How had they helped Jack back at the SGC? They'd all thought he was cured. If she was the 'cure' what had Janet done? She remembered that the doctor had been uncharacteristically obscure about the whole thing. She'd definitely have to get to the bottom of this.

Turning silently she made her way back to the bedroom. She was still too angry to face Jack or her friends. She probably would have begun throwing pots at them! She went and sat on the bed and tried to calm down.

She thought about the conversation she'd heard. As angry as she was, she also recognized that he'd been worried that she would doubt his love for her if she found out about the cure. He needn't have worried. She knew him too well. He had made love with her out of love – not to save himself. Smiling, even in her anger, she was grateful for this man.

Still, she wasn't about to let him off scott-free for hiding this from her. No – he needed to learn a lesson.

The door to the bedroom slowly opened. Jack thought she was still sleeping. As he walked in the room he saw Sam sitting cross-legged on the bed. He went to say 'good morning' when he noticed her expression. Shit! There was one really pissed off Carter on his bed.

"Uh – good morning?" He stayed by the door. He hadn't spent years learning to identify danger to blindly walk forward into what could be a lethal situation.

"Is it?"

"I – kinda thought so?"

"It was. I woke up quite happy."

"And then ….?"

"And then I realized that this man I know – this man who is supposed to be a mature, intelligent person – did something really, really stupid."

"Yeah? Really stupid, you say?"

"Oh yeah, **really** stupid."

"I … see. Is it something he can be forgiven for?" Oh God, he hoped so. If this was the end already he didn't know what he'd do.

"Maybe, after a while. After doing a lot of groveling and apologizing."

"That could be arranged."

"And after promising to never, ever, ever do something like it again."

"Okay. I'm sure he'll promise if you just give him a chance." He looked just like a puppy that had done something wrong. She almost broke but hung on to her anger by a thread.

"All right then."

"Uh … okay. Is that it?"

"No, I'm waiting for the groveling and the apology – and the promise."

He walked slowly towards the bed. She followed him with her eyes but didn't seem to object to him coming closer. He carefully sat down, near but not touching her.

"I'm really sorry Sam. It won't happen again." There, hopefully that was heartfelt enough.

"Do you know what you're apologizing for Jack?"

"Uh, not really."

"So, when you say you won't do it again, you have no idea what you're promising."

"Mmmm – no. But I really do promise."

She choked back a laugh. He was so adorable. She turned and faced him, her expression losing its anger but still growing serious.

"Jack, I overheard you speaking with the guys." His face blanched. God, this was what he'd been afraid of. He turned to her and started to speak but she placed a finger over his mouth. "No, let me finish." Looking at him she realized he really was frightened. She hadn't meant to worry him so much. She began to speak. "I found out that you hid from me the fact that I was the 'cure' to what was wrong with you. Jack, I understand why you did it, really I do. But please, promise me you won't ever do something like that again. Don't you understand? There's nothing more awful than the thought of losing you. I'd do anything, anything at all to keep that from happening – not out of duty or friendship or pity – but because I love you more than anything in this world. Don't ever sacrifice yourself for some reason that doesn't exist." She could feel the tears begin to gather in her eyes. He reached over and gently touched her cheek. She turned and leaned into him.

"Don't ever do something so stupid again, okay?"

"Okay Sam, I promise. God, I love you so much."

"I know you do … and I love you. And by the way – don't worry about me thinking you made love to me just to get better. I know you too well. I'd never think that."

"Thank God!" He reached down and took her in his arms. Relief and love filled his heart. After a few minutes he pulled away from her.

"Our friends are all anxious to see you. They're also anxious to eat!" She laughed but looked a little pink. He was glad to see he wasn't the only one who was feeling a little uncomfortable about having them here with their relationship so brand-new.

"Do they know we .. ?"

"Mai'thuned?" He grinned – a whole new word had entered his vocabulary – and it meant so much.

She grinned back. "yes, Mai'thuned."

"Oh yeah! And they're happy for us – so come on lady! Get your butt in gear and get dressed."

"Hey, what about you? I'm not the one prancing around in nothing but boxers and nipple rings!"

He sighed. Yup, he'd known they were going to cause problems but he never thought the teasing would come from the woman he loved.

"I think you should get a matching set!" he muttered as he walked to his dresser and began pulling out clothes. She just laughed.

"Sam!" Janet walked up and hugged her as she walked into the main room. "You're looking fantastic! How are you feeling? Is that flu over?"

"Uh, not exactly. But I am feeling great right now. I'm starving."

"Okay everyone, let's go. It's about 20 minutes to town and we'll have to take two cars. Daniel, you can follow me."

There was no more serious discussion for the rest of the afternoon. The teammates – with Janet, who was an honorary member of the team, ate in town and then went grocery shopping. They'd all decided to stay at the cabin for a few days since they had a break anyway. It would be a great way to relax and have fun.

That evening, after Jack had fixed a home cooked meal, they all sat in the living room in front of a roaring fire. It was only then that the discussion returned to more serious matters.

"What about the General?" Jack finally asked. He'd been wondering all day but didn't want to destroy the relaxed and happy mood.

"We called him this morning, before you were up, and told him you were fine. Janet said she'd debrief him when we got back."

"I thought you said the phones didn't work here?" Sam turned and looked at Jack.

"Sorry – I just didn't want you getting out of bed. I liked you where you were." Sam turned red again and the others suddenly appeared to be looking intently at something on the walls.

Jack smiled slightly but then his expression sobered. "He's not going to be happy. He'll think we were hiding something from him."

Daniel simply said, "We were."

"What do you think is going to happen?" Sam was biting her lip. The others didn't know about the pregnancy yet – they just thought it was the relationship but it was now much more serious.

"We'll explain that there was nothing else you could have done. It was a case of life or death. It's totally explained by 'alien influence'."

"Maybe." Jack looked up at his friends. "We can say that but you know there'll be lots of people who won't buy it. We'll have to try and prove it and most of it will be our words against theirs?"

"No it won't. I've got the medical proof to show that you had to … do what you did or you would have died. There's no way they can refute that."

"There's just one problem Janet." Sam looked at Jack who nodded. "There's proof we didn't wait."

"What? What do you mean proof and waited for what?" Everybody but Jack looked confused.

"Last night wasn't the first time we … we were together on the planet. Before Jack got sick."

"What?" Daniel said, shocked. "But everyone said that Jack refused, that he was tortured and wouldn't uh – do it."

"That's true. He refused for a long time. But then I found out that they'd threatened to turn Jack into a eunuch" (she could feel him shudder beside her) "or kill him. I couldn't let that happen so I 'seduced' him."

Jack clearly objected to that story and started to object. "Hey, it wasn't just you – it was me too. Look guys, we were stuck together in one room for weeks. We were both frightened and unsure of what was going to happen so we turned to each other for comfort. But it didn't .. I mean we didn't - we stopped, okay, when we realized it was wrong."

"Why was it wrong?" Janet asked softly. "I think it was exactly right. You needed each other – hell, you loved each other, even if you hadn't admitted it yet. There's nothing wrong in that."

"There is according to the Air Force." Jack answered, equally as softly.

"But there's no way they'll know. Just don't say anything. What difference does it make to anyone Jack?" Daniel spoke fiercely.

"I concur O'Neill, Major Carter. There is no reason to tell General Hammond or the Air Force. We will not say anything."

Jack looked at Sam and took a deep breath.

"They'll find out anyway."

"How? Who's going to say anything? No one knows but us."

"Well, I'm afraid O'Neill junior is going to give it away pretty soon." Jack replied.

Teal'c looked confused. "You do not have a 'junior' O'Neill." Jack couldn't help but laugh although Teal'c's words had given him a sharp pang as he thought of his son. Sam's hand reached out and took his, giving it a soft squeeze. He looked at her gratefully but after a couple of seconds glanced over at Janet and Daniel. He had to laugh again; they both were doing a great impression of a wide mouthed bass.

"Jack!"

"Yes Daniel?"

"Do you mean to tell me that you and Sam are **pregnant!**"

"Sam! Did you take another test?" Janet squealed.

"Yes, and yes. I was still feeling sick Janet. I figured the other one may have been too soon. I found out last night."

"Oh sweetie!" Janet came over and gave her friend a hug. "This time I'm happy for you!" She turned to Jack. "And you too Colonel. You both deserve this."

"Hey Jack – way to go!" Daniel looked incredibly pleased. None of them seemed to get how serious this was.

"We appreciate it guys, and we really are happy, but there's still the problem of having disobeyed the regs. This could be really bad. They might let me retire but it's going to hurt Carter's career and she's no where near ready to leave."

They all sat there, trying to think of what could be done.

"Jack, surely the Air Force will figure you had good reason. Heck, who wouldn't choose to disobey the regs rather than become a eunuch? You can't tell me any man wouldn't have done the same thing. Those are definitely extenuating circumstances."

"Yeah, if we can prove it."

"Well Martia and some of the other women will testify to that fact. They'll also say you were tortured. I really don't think you have anything to worry about."

"And anyway", added Janet, "the dates won't be that far out. These new tests are pretty sensitive so I expect you aren't very far along. You can always say that the baby came a couple of weeks early."

"Janet! That sounds like something from a Victorian novel. Do you really think anyone would buy that?"

"By that time who will care?"

"Okay folks, enough. Let's get some sleep. We can't do anything about it now anyway and I for one am ready for bed!" He stood up and stretched and then turned to help Sam up. He was surprised to see her looking embarrassed. He glanced at the others and caught smirks on their faces.

"Oh grow up people!" he said in frustration. "I just meant it's late and I'm tired. God, you're all acting like a bunch of teenagers." Pulling Sam up from the couch he led her to the bedroom. He turned around just as he got to the hall.

"Goodnight everyone. Sleep tight. Sam and I are going to have sex now so please don't come and check on us." With that he turned and pulled Sam into the bedroom, closing the door with a loud 'click'. A muffled "JACK!" could be heard behind the door.


	34. Dad

_**Okay, so sue me! I thought I was nearing the end but the story insists on going on and on! I realized that I hadn't dealt with Jacob or poor Pete (don't bite my head off for saying that – remember, he's lost Sam!) so it needed a bit more. I really will finish it this weekend! I hope you don't mind and all have patience with me!**_

Jack had been right. The General was not happy. In fact, he was REALLY not happy. Rarely had they seen him get so angry that he had trouble speaking. Janet had practically been in tears and had received a severe reprimand. He couldn't do much to Daniel and Teal'c other than give them a tongue-lashing but both of them looked pretty sheepish by the time they'd left his office. They always thought of Hammond as a pretty easygoing man. Not today!

It was Jack and Sam who actually got off the easiest, even though they were the cause of the whole mess. Hammond was quite understanding of everything that had gone on during their captivity. Secretly, he was amazed at how long they'd lasted. He thought they would have caved much sooner, especially knowing how they felt about each other.

No, the real problem, and the reason for his anger, was that if it had been reported immediately they could have passed it off as alien influence and duress. No court would hold a soldier guilty for disobeying something like the frat regs to save a life – or to prevent torture and mutilation. It's not like they had given away earth's secrets! The trouble was the delay made it look like a cover-up. It looked like his people had worked together to keep it a secret and that they'd come up with a story to explain the pregnancy. Some people who had it in for Jack and the SGC were going to try and make something of this!

"Do we know if the 'cure' is permanent Colonel?" For his sake George hoped it was but it would help if it weren't, in the event of a court martial.

"We don't know Sir. So far I haven't suffered any kind of a relapse."

"But you haven't been separated from Major Carter for any length of time, have you?"

"Ah – no Sir."

"I see. Well, maybe that's what we should do. Let's see if this 'illness' comes back. If it does, and we can prove that Major Carter is necessary to prevent you from getting sick, then that might be all we need. If it doesn't we're going to have to figure out something else." He sighed and rubbed his head. This was giving him a terrible headache.

"So, we're hoping I have an incurable illness that is only treatable by 'being close' to Sam for the rest of my life? Is that right Sir?" O'Neill was at his sarcastic best.

"Hell Jack, I don't know. It's a lose-lose situation. I don't know what else to say. I've sent Griff with Paul Davis to the planet – both planets – where the women have gone to try and get their statements. Hopefully that will be enough." He looked up at the Colonel. "In the meantime Jack, you and the Major had better stay away from each other." He held his hand up as Jack went to protest. "I know it will be difficult but I think it's important. We don't want it to look like you're thumbing your noses at the Air Force – at least not until this is over."

"What if I get sick again?"

"We'll make sure that we bring Major Carter back quickly if need be. I've put a call into Jacob and I'm going to suggest they go and visit Mark for a few days."

"And what about me Sir?"

"You'll stay on base Colonel. That way the doctor can monitor you. It will also keep you out of trouble." He stood up and walked around to where Jack was standing, stiffly, in front of his desk. Placing his hand on the Colonel's shoulder he spoke. "I'm sorry son. I know this is hard but it'll work out in the end. The next little while is going to be difficult; just have patience." He laughed to himself. That was probably the hardest thing he could have asked of his subordinate. Everyone knew Jack didn't do patience.

"Okay Sir. I understand. And don't worry – this is worth it. I'll be on my best behavior." Smiling, he stood up straight and gave the General a classic salute.

"Can I see Sam before we're separated?"

"Of course Colonel. Jacob won't be here for a few more hours."

"Does he know?"

"Only that Sam has been found and that's she's safe. He doesn't know anything about … anything else."

"Oh joy! This is one conversation I'm not looking forward to. Do you think maybe I could go visit Thor for a while Sir?"

George laughed and waved his officer out of his office. He was confidant things would be okay.

Jack hadn't given Jacob much thought but he knew the man – Tokra? – wasn't going to be happy. Hell, if I was Jacob and my daughter was having my baby I wouldn't be happy either! On that very confusing note he went to find Sam.

"Jack, he's **not** going to kill you. I won't let him!"

"Yeah, but what about Selmac? Can you keep _him_ from killing me?"

"Uh – I don't think they'll try to kill you separately."

"No – together – and that means they'll be harder to stop. No, I tell ya Sam, I think it's better if we run off and elope. I'm sure there's a nice tropical planet somewhere that the Tokra have never heard of. Maybe I still have an address or two stuck in my brain from the Ancient head-sucky thing."

"No Jack", she laughed. "As much as I love you I don't want to run away to a hidden planet somewhere. I'm sure Dad will be just fine. In fact, he'll probably be happy for us."

"Oh sure. He'll welcome me with open arms. Sam, I'm the one who MAI'THUNED his daughter! No father is going to be happy at that!"

"Well, I suggest you don't tell him like that. It sounds rather – lewd. In fact, I suggest you avoid any talk of any kind of … uh"

"Sex?"

"Yes, SEX! Between us."

"Great. I know, we'll tell him you got pregnant through some kind of alien parthenogenesis. That way he can't blame me!"

"Parthenogenesis? Jack, do you even know what that means?"

"Of course I do – non-sexual reproduction."

"How do you _**know**_ that?"

"Uh, I don't know. Biology class?"

"Okay – well, you're right but I don't think he'll believe us."

"Why not? Stranger things have happened in our travels."

"He might have trouble believing it when the baby comes out and it looks like you."

"Maybe it'll look like you."

"The probability is that it'll have brown eyes and hair. If I reproduced on my own my offspring would be blond and blue-eyed. And the fact is that most babies look more like their fathers than like their mothers – scientists think it's a way that nature has of creating a bond between the infant and the father who really had no other way of knowing that the child was his."

He stared at her in wonder. Only Sam would carry on a conversation about genetics and bonding at a time like this. "So, no alien parthenogenesis?"

"No Jack, I think we have to tell him you're the father."

"Damn!"

"You don't want people to know this baby is yours?"

"Ah hell Sam, that's not what I meant. Of course I do. I'm thrilled, happy, proud, excited – all those things. I couldn't want anything more than this baby. It's just that I want to survive to see it!"

She laughed again. It really was quite amusing to see Jack in such a panic. There wasn't much in this world that frightened him. But he was obviously really worried about her father.

She turned and took his hands in hers. "Jack, my father may be a little upset at first – I think he'd be that way no matter who 'Mai'thuned' his daughter. I'm his little girl. But I also know he likes and respects you. He's not going to hurt you – I'll make sure he knows that I'd kick his ass if he did. It may take a while for him to come around, but in the end he will. He won't want to miss out on this grandchild like he did with Mark's kids for so many years." She reached over and kissed him. "And if he does threaten to kill you then we can check out that tropical planet!" She then kicked him out of her office. She needed to get a few things straightened up before heading off to visit Mark for a week.

Jack wandered around the base, driving everyone crazy. He finally tracked down Daniel – the perfect solution for his restlessness. There was nothing he enjoyed quite so much as harassing his friend.

It took Daniel a little while longer than it had Sam to finally get rid of the man. Teal'c showing up at his door saved him.

"Teal'c!" he said in relief. "Jack was just saying how much he wanted to go for a work out in the gym with you."

"I did not Daniel."

"No? Oh, I thought that's what you said. But I'm sure you'd like to, right? Teal'c would love to go with you, wouldn't you Teal'c?"

Teal'c looked like he was about to refute this but the agonized, pleading look on Daniel's face made him change his mind. "Indeed O'Neill, I would be pleased to join you."

"Thanks Teal'c but I'm waiting for Jacob. Don't want to get all hot and sweaty. I can just stay here with Daniel."

"No you can't Jack." Daniel sounded panicked. "This isn't a good place to be when Jacob comes. Uh, you should go find Sam – she probably wants you with her."

"Nah, she kicked me out of her office."

"Really? I wonder why? Hey, I bet you're hungry? Maybe Teal'c and you can go eat. You're both looking a little peaked!"

Jack sighed and stood up. "Okay Teal'c, I think Daniel is giving me a hint. Let's go get a snack." As he left he was sure he could hear Daniel mutter, "**hint!** I practically had to push him out the door!"

Jack was eating a piece of pie when he heard the alarms going off signifying an unscheduled gate activation. Hell, Jacob was here. Suddenly he lost his appetite.

"I believe that Jacob Carter has arrived O'Neill. Would you like me to accompany you?" Jack looked suspiciously at his friend. He wondered if Teal'c suspected he was nervous.

"Hell yes Teal'c! Do you have your staff weapon handy! If Jacob makes any sudden moves – shoot him!" The two men got up and headed to the gateroom. It took longer than normal as O'Neill walked very slowly!

When he arrived he could see Sam giving her father a hug. The former General and present Tokra almost looked teary eyed. He had to have been in agony with Sam captured.

"Jack!" Jacob cried out when he saw the Colonel enter the gateroom. "It's great to see you. I was so relieved to hear you'd made it back safely. Hi Teal'c." The Jaffa spoke briefly to Jacob, which allowed Jack the opportunity to look at Sam with a question in his eyes. The small shake of her head let him know that she hadn't said anything yet.

"Hi Jacob! Good to see you too. Yeah, it's great to be back."

"Where's George?"

"He's dealing with some important business right now" (yeah, like saving their asses!). "He said he'd see you shortly."

"Okay good. Let's all go to the Commissary and you can tell me everything. I feel like a good cup of earth coffee."

"Well then you certainly don't want to go to the Commissary", Jack murmured. "Uh, why don't you and Sam go and get caught up? I'll see you later. Teal'c, you coming?" He wondered how far away from the SGC he could get if he ran to his truck right now? Would he make it before Sam told her father what was going on?

Sam glared at him. He almost thought, for a moment there, that her eyes had glowed. "I think you should join us Sir. Dad will want to hear your side of things too." Closing his eyes (yes, your life really did flash in front of your eyes before you died), he took a deep breath.

"Okay Carter – er Carters! I'll come. Teal'c, do you want to join us?"

"That is all right O'Neill. I will visit Daniel Jackson. I believe he needs my assistance."

Coward! Jack glared at his sniveling weasel of a Jaffa friend as he escaped.

"Come on Jack", Jacob slapped him on the back. "Let's go. I want to hear all about your adventure – and don't leave out any of the details!"

Oh yeah, like _that_ was going to happen. Jacob, just let me tell you about the day I kissed your naked daughter on the – oof! a sharp elbow interrupted his daydream. He looked down at his Major and she was giving him that look that wives and girlfriends use on their men. It was a 'don't screw this up or you're sleeping on the couch tonight' look. What a great day this was turning out to be!

"So we were right. Matsya was planning to have you get pregnant and then sell your child to Ba'al. Oh Sammie, I'm so sorry. Are you really all right?"

"Yes Dad, I'm fine. It was tough on the planet but I really wasn't hurt. The Colonel bore the brunt of it. They wanted the women healthy for pregnancy.

Jacob turned and looked at the Colonel, who had been unusually silent. "I'm sorry Jack. It must have been tough. Why did they treat you so badly? Didn't they want to use you to – ah – 'breed'?"

"Yes, but I refused. They didn't like that so they tried to force me."

"Really? How do they force someone to – ?"

"Oh you know, just a little torture here and there." When Jacob kept looking at him Jack felt compelled to continue.

"They had this little device – they stuck it in my stomach and then whenever they were unhappy they'd activate it. Hurt like hell."

"I've heard of something like that before. How did you get rid of it?"

"Oh, a friendly Jaffa hit me in the stomach and it popped right out. Good thing because it was supposed to activate if we left the compound."

"You were lucky then." He turned back to his daughter. "You're sure none of the men hurt you? I mean I'm thrilled – but it seems kind of strange if they wanted you to get pregnant. Why didn't they have any of the men 'force' you?" He looked at Sam, worried that she wasn't telling him the truth.

"Well, you see Dad, they didn't want just any child. Matsya had promised a 'Tauri' child. He wanted a child from Jack and me."

Jacob didn't look surprised at this. It's what they had expected after all. He turned to Jack. "I can only thank you Jack, for refusing to do what they wanted. I can't imagine what it would have been like if you'd been forced to – do that – and have a child together. I always knew I could count on you to look after my daughter!"

Shit! Now what. He looked at Sam, panic in his eyes. Please save me!

"Ah Dad."

"Yes Sammie?"

"There's something you should know about my time on the planet." She sounded very serious

"What? _Did_ someone hurt you? If they did I'll kill them Sam – Selmak and I will make sure whoever the bastard is won't get away."

It looked like Jack was about to bolt so Sam reached out and put her hand on his arm.

"No Dad. No one hurt me; just the opposite in fact. Someone took great care of me and loved me."

"What? Is it that Pete guy?"

"No, I mean on Matsya's planet."

"What are you saying Sam? Someone loved you on Matsya's planet? Did you meet someone there?" Jacob was sounding very confused and Jack could see why. He figured it was time to just come out with it.

"Jacob, Sam and I fell in love. We were forced to be together on the planet otherwise they would have turned me into a eunuch or killed me. As a result Sam is pregnant." There, that was straightforward and open and honest. He turned towards Sam and freaked out when he noticed her terrified look. Oh crap, he should have let her handle this.

There was dead silence from across the table. Jacob was staring directly at him, not moving a muscle. When Jack saw his eyes flash, okay, just once it was true, he had to force himself to stay seated.

"I don't think I heard you right Jack", Jacob said softly. "I thought I heard you say you, Colonel O'Neill, took advantage of my daughter, your Second in Command, and made her pregnant. But that can't be right because that would never happen, would it Jack?"

"Ah, yes – I mean no. Hell, that's exactly what I said Jacob and you know it." He sat up straighter. "Your daughter and I are in love and we're going to have a child – which we will also love. If it hadn't been for what happened on the planet we probably would never have been in this position, but it did and here we are. We did what we had to to survive and I for one don't regret it. Sam and I have a chance for a life together and we plan to make the most of it. I'll also do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't harm Sam's career."

Jacob still sat stunned. Suddenly he came to life and stood up. "You Bastard! What the hell were you thinking? You're her commanding officer! I'm going to kill you for this!"

"Dad! Sit down and shut up!" Samantha was furious. "Don't you dare act like some Victorian father defending his daughter's virtue. I'm a grown woman and I make my own choices. In this case I chose Jack – partly because of the situation we were in but mostly because I love him and have for a long time. We were alone and frightened and we came together. I don't regret it either. I'm going to have a baby Dad – your grandchild. If you refuse to accept Jack then you are also refusing this baby and me. I won't give either of them up." She stood up and pulled Jack with her. "Think about what you risk losing Dad and decide if it's worth it." With that she turned and walked out of the Commissary.

Jack turned back to Jacob, knowing he was probably taking his life in his hands. "I love her Jacob, more that I thought it was possible to love anyone. I'd die rather than hurt her." Getting no answer he tried one last time. "She loves you and wants you to be a part of her life. If you do this you'll lose her and she'll lose someone very important to her. You don't have to like me – hell, you can hate me all you want – just try and pretend for her sake. She needs you." With that he turned and walked out, knowing he needed to find Sam.

Jacob sat for a long time thinking about what had happened. Selmak tried to reason with him but he refused to listen. He was angry and wanted to nurse that anger. He felt as if his world had just tipped upside down!

Jacob was so proud of his daughter and he had known she would probably make General one day. At least she would have. Knowing the Air Force he was pretty positive that this would stop any chances she had. Even if they weren't court martialled for this it would be a black mark on her record – an invisible one, maybe, but one which would follow her forever.

With a heavy heart he decided to go and see George.

"That went well." Jack stood in the doorway to Sam's office. He didn't know what she was doing but whatever it was it didn't look good for the parts she was bashing around on her desk.

"Ah, take it easy Sam. You could hurt yourself."

"It's him I want to hurt Jack. The stupid, damn jerk! What right does he have to talk to me – or to you - like that? Who does he think he is?"

"Your father?"

"Don't you start to defend him Jack. He was wrong and pig-headed."

"Yeah, I agree, but give him some time. It was a shock Sam and I know I didn't handle it well, but maybe he'll come around."

"You don't know my father very well if you think that! He never changes his mind once it's made up."

"Oh, I don't know about that Sam. I've seen him be pretty flexible at times. And didn't he make the first move with Mark."

"Why are you defending him? He just threatened to kill you."

"Yeah, and I'd probably do the same thing. Sam, you have to know that I'm no great prize. No father would want to see their daughter stuck with an aging flyboy with bad knees and a pretty bleak history."

She didn't say anything at first, simply walked up to him. She then spoke softly. "Permission to not be Major Carter right now Sir?"

"Huh? What? Okay, I guess so Sam."

"Thank you." With that she hauled back and slugged him hard on the arm. Damn that hurt. He'd probably have a bruise there tomorrow.

"Hey, whatdya do that for?"

"For talking stupid Sir. You are absolutely a prize and I won't have you disparaging yourself like that. I'm honored that you chose me. You could have had any woman on this base – they're all in love with you (or with Daniel). No, this has nothing to do with you – except that you're my CO – which does make it a bit worse. No, Dad would react like this to anyone. He still thinks of me as a 13-year-old girl. God, you should have seen the way he treated my first boyfriend. The poor kid wouldn't even look at me after Dad got through with him!"

"I can assure you that I will still look at you Carter. In fact, I'll do more than 'look'." He waggled his eyebrows at her, which made her laugh. She leaned against Jack's chest. She needed him to hold her right now. The whole thing was so upsetting!

"Come on. You need to go home and rest. Get your things and I'll drive you." She knew she shouldn't go with him – they were supposed to be discrete right now – but frankly, she didn't care. She needed him.

As they drove silently to her house she thought about her father. She was still so angry with him, but even more she was hurt. It felt terrible when someone you counted on let you down. She looked over at Jack and smiled to herself. He was one man she knew would never let her down.

Just before they reached her house she had another, less pleasing thought. Her father had mentioned Pete and she realized she hadn't even given the man a call. This was going to be another difficult conversation. She was just about to wound a good and honorable man. She could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes. The last thing she had ever wanted to do was to hurt people she cared about and it looked like she was about to do it to two of the men in her life.

The truck stopped and Jack got out and opened her door. Taking her arm he led her up to the house and, unlocking the door, guided her inside and down the hall to her bedroom. Once there he made her sit on the bed and proceeded to undress her. When she was wearing nothing but her underwear he pulled the covers down and tucked her in bed.

"Jack" she called tearfully, "I don't want to be alone."

Pulling off his shirt he answered, "and you won't be – never again." Climbing in beside her he put his arms around her and pulled her to him. Holding her he stroked her back until he felt her breathing even out. Soon, she was asleep. He continued to hold her, knowing that she needed the comfort and grateful that he was the one who could offer it to her. Soon he too fell asleep.


	35. Broken Heart

He knew he had to get back to the base. He was probably already in trouble with Hammond, although the General had given him some time with Sam before Jacob came and took her off to see Mark. Thinking of Jacob made him groan. He hoped, for Sam's sake that the man would come around.

Giving his sleeping Major a kiss on the head he got out of bed. A quick stop to the bathroom and he'd head back to the SGC. He'd wake Sam before he left and tell her he was going. Hopefully she'd rest some more. He knew she needed the extra sleep with the pregnancy.

Grinning at that thought – he still couldn't quite believe he was going to be a father again – he headed down the short hallway. It was then he heard the sound of someone entering Sam's house.

What the hell! What was going on? People keep coming into places uninvited. He quickly walked towards the front door. At least he could be pretty sure it wasn't aliens. God, at least he hoped so. He really wasn't up for dealing with an alien invasion today!

"What the hell are you doing here?" A younger, beefy looking man stood just inside Sam's front door. It took a second to realize who it was.

"Shanahan. Hi. Whatchya doing in Carter's house?" That's right Jack, take the moral high ground.

"What am _I_ doing here? I'm her boyfriend. I think the question is what are _you _doing here?" Suddenly Pete stopped and began to look worried. "Something hasn't happened to Sam has it? She's okay isn't she?"

"Yeah, she's fine – just sleeping. She's tired; it was a long mission." Jack just looked at the man in front of him. He really couldn't tell what Sam had seen in the man. God, he was shorter than she was!

"Oh, okay." Shanahan started walking down the hall, clearly heading towards Carter's bedroom. Jack reached out and grabbed his arm.

"No, just let her sleep. Why don't you come back later"? Pete jerked his arm out of the Colonel's grasp and swung to look at Sam's CO. He really didn't like the man although he'd never said anything to Sam. He knew she idolized him.

"Look, I think you'd better go Colonel. I know what's best for Sam. She's my girl and I'll thank you to stay out of her personal life. Now, let me go." He started to walk again but the Colonel simply stepped in his way.

"Carter is no one's _girl_ Shanahan. She's a woman and a highly respected officer and scientist. I think she's the one who knows what's best for her. Look, why don't you wait for her to give you a call and she can explain everything. She needs some space right now. She doesn't need you barreling in and disturbing her."

Pete took a deep breath. He was furiously angry and wanted nothing so much as to pummel this man. But he knew that would get him into serious trouble – both with the police force and the military. The other thing was he wasn't so sure he'd be victorious in an encounter with the Colonel. Even though the man was older than him he looked to be in pretty good shape and was still a field officer.

"If she needs space so much then why are you here?" He looked at O'Neill and suddenly realized something. "And why aren't you wearing a shirt?" He looked more closely as O'Neill abruptly wrapped his arms around his chest. Oh my God! The man had rings threaded through his – uh nipples.

"And you're wearing body jewelry for God's sake." His eyes swung up to a very uncomfortable looking Colonel. He could feel himself begin to grin. Yeah, this was priceless.

"'Need to know' Shanahan. It's part of a secret Air Force Op." Jack really had to have Janet get rid of these things.

"Yeah right" he was now sure of it. O'Neill wasn't just an ass he was a pervert! "But that still doesn't explain why you're prancing around Sam's house half naked." He grew worried again. "What have you done to her?" He started to push past O'Neill. What if the man had gone insane and had hurt or attached her.

"I haven't done anything Pete. I drove her home because she was tired. She's in bed sleeping. I spilled something on my shirt and was cleaning it up when you walked in; I was just about to head back to the base." Okay, at least _that _part of the story was true.

The man still looked suspicious but he'd calmed down. Jack could feel a small smirk building in the back of his throat. This was the first time, since he'd found out about Pete, that the man's existence didn't rile him. In fact, a small part of him even felt sorry for Shanahan. Okay, it was a teeny part – a really, really small, teeny tiny, miniscule part – but it meant that he could be _somewhat_ forbearing with the man.

"Just call her, Pete – or better yet, wait for her to call you. She will you know. She just needs to rest before …" his voice petered out. No, it was definitely up to Sam to tell the man. She'd be furious if she found out he'd said anything.

A small niggling doubt rose its nasty head. What if she talked to Pete and she discovered she'd made a mistake; that she really did love the cop and wanted to spend her life with him. How would he feel being the 'weekend daddy'? Don't go there O'Neill! You have to know Sam loves you. She wouldn't do that.

Worried now, and no longer feeling quite so cocky, he decided it was time to end this farce.

"Come on Pete, let's go. Sam needs some quiet and we're going to wake her up." He began to push the man towards the door.

"Are you going to leave without your shirt?" Pete looked back at him soberly.

Ah Crap! How in hell was he going to get his shirt with Pete standing there looking at him? Jack would have to go back to Sam's room to get it and Pete would definitely know where he'd gone. Now that thought was very disturbing. Don't go there Jack. What she did before you and she got together is none of your business!

"Ah no. Here, why don't I let you out and then I'll go get my shirt and make sure everything is closed up. See ya Pete." He opened the front door but the stupid man didn't budge.

"No, that's okay. I'll just wait for you. I think we should both leave together." He so didn't trust O'Neill. Something fishy was definitely going on. The urge to go and check on Sam was growing by the second.

Taking a deep breath Jack knew things were definitely about to hit the fan. He really didn't see anyway around it. He slowly turned and walked back down the hall. As he passed the bathroom he could almost feel Shanahan begin to twitch. He hoped the man wasn't carrying a gun! He walked into the bedroom and reached over to the chair where his shirt lay, innocently discarded in a heap. Oh, if you only knew the trouble you caused, he said silently to the guiltless piece of flannel. He turned back when a soft voice halted him.

"Are you leaving Jack?" He turned around and a sleepy, warm and cuddly looking Sam was looking up at him. She gave him a soft smile and patted the bed beside her. Oh, if he could only take her up on that.

"Shanahan is here", he said bluntly. He saw her face go slack and she stared blankly at him for a moment. He could then see the blood rush to her face and the panic appear.

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing – just that you were resting after a hard mission. But he, ah, caught me without my shirt. I convinced him we both needed to leave you to sleep but he's waiting in the hall for me to get it." He held up the offending piece of clothing.

"He saw you come in here, to my bedroom?" She started to look sick, which really, really worried him.

"Yeah. I tried to get him to leave but he wouldn't. I'm sorry Sam, I didn't know what else to do." She looked at him blankly for a moment and then shook her head. "It's okay. Just go and tell him to wait. I'll be out in a minute." She stood up as if she were a hundred years old and began to grab her clothes. After a brief look Jack nodded and turned back to the hallway. Just before leaving he spoke, not turning around to look at her, afraid of her answer. "Do you want me to leave?"

"What? No, I think you'd better stay." Okay, that wasn't too bad but it didn't give him too much to go on. Nodding once he left her bedroom and almost walked smack dab into a furious Pete. He closed Sam's door and stepped in front of it, barring Pete's way.

"Let me in damnit!"

"No Pete. She'll be out in a minute to talk to you – to us. Come on, let's go sit down." For a minute he thought the man was going to refuse and try to force his way past him but he eventually calmed down slightly. Turning, he stalked to the living room where he threw himself down on the couch.

"There is something going on here, isn't there. I knew something was wrong when Sam didn't want to see me. I called her brother's place and he said Sam wasn't there. She lied to me. I want to know what the hell is going on and why you're here." As he'd been speaking Jack had put his shirt back on and was buttoning it up. Finished, he looked up at Pete.

"Sam will be here in a minute and will explain everything. I'm sorry Pete. I know this is hard but please be patient." It was what he kept telling himself. As each second passed he grew more and more nervous. He almost had to laugh – here he and Shanahan sat, waiting for Sam, both terrified at what the woman they both loved was going to say. One of them would leave here a happy man – the other would have his life ripped apart.

It felt like an eternity but finally Sam exited from her bedroom and walked to the living room. Glancing at her, Jack saw that she looked like hell. She knew that she held two men's lives – or at least their hearts and souls – in her hands and she didn't like it, not one little bit!

"Pete", she said softly. He looked like he was going to stand up and rush over to her but she put her hand up and stopped him. She needed her space.

Sitting down in a chair as far from either man as she could get she simply looked at them both from a moment. They were both good men, although very different from each other. Looking at Pete she saw a man who could offer a good, probably a happy and 'normal' life. But it would be without excitement, without wonder and discovery. And, probably most importantly of all, without much laughter. Oh, he was a dear, sweet man, but he didn't know how to take the worst life had to offer and make it feel bearable – make you have hope when there should be none.

She then turned and looked at Jack. She could tell, from his blank, stony-faced expression that he was hiding deep inside himself. He was terrified that she'd change her mind and choose Pete over him. For all his cockiness, his assurance in battle situations he was so lacking in confidence when it came to his personal life. She could understand that. He had suffered more than anyone ever should – life hadn't treated Jack kindly. Well, she was not about to add more pain to his life. She thought for a moment about what life with Jack would be like.

It certainly wouldn't be boring! No, it would be a life filled with love, with frustration, with passion. She was sure there would be times she would feel like zatting him or conking him on the head with a staff weapon – but she also knew she could count on him – she thought to the scene with her father today – no, Jack would always be there for her, would always make her laugh when things seemed darkest. He was her anchor, her world. No, she smiled to herself – he was her 'universe'.

She began to speak. "Pete, Jack – the Colonel - and I just got back from a mission where we were kidnapped and held prisoner for weeks." Pete sat up and looked like he wanted to go to her. He looked sick.

"Are you okay Sam? Were you hurt? Who kidnapped you?" Damn, he'd known something was wrong.

"I'm fine Pete. I wasn't hurt although the Colonel was." She put a hand up to stop him from speaking. She needed to tell this without interruption. "Please Pete, let me explain." She took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. She had planned to call Pete, to tell him on her own, but she hadn't been quite ready. Now this was thrown on her and she had Jack to worry about as well. She really wanted to go over to him, to hold him and assure him everything was fine but she knew she couldn't do that with Pete sitting there. It wouldn't be fair to him.

"Pete, you know a lot of what we do." He nodded. "Well, we were on an off-world mission when we were captured by – an alien – who bred children to sell."

"A slaver?" Pete interjected with shock. They had an alien slave trade?

"Yes, a 'slaver'. He would force people to mate and have children and then he'd sell the children all over the galaxy."

"Oh my God – you _were_ hurt Sam! Don't tell me – they wanted you to have one of these children. Did somebody, did somebody …" He couldn't even say it.

"Rape me? No Pete, nothing like that happened. The – uh –man who kidnapped us decided that he'd get a lot of money for a child from two humans, two people from Earth. One of the aliens who he was going to sell the child to hates people from our planet. He had a run in with the Colonel and considers him his number one enemy. So, the kidnapper tried to get J – ur the Colonel and me to…" She waved her hands around a little, not wanting to spell it out to her boyfriend (former boyfriend).

"What! He wanted you two to, to have sex and have a child together." Sam looked stricken which made Jack feel like crap. Yeah, this was going the way he expected.

"Pete, Jack refused to have any part of it. He refused to do it so they tortured him badly. They even threatened to cut – to make him a eunuch if he wouldn't do it. They fed him drugs and everything. It was awful."

For a brief moment Shanahan hoped they'd carried through on their threat but then forced himself to wipe that thought from his mind. No, he wouldn't wish that even on his worst enemy!

He turned to the Colonel, who he noted, was looking rather pale. "Are you okay now Colonel?"

O'Neill simply nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak. He'd already started to feel his world crashing down around him.

"And the uh – rings – was that part of it?"

"Yeah – part of the torture." O'Neill grinned slightly and Shanahan smiled back. At least he knew the Colonel hadn't chosen them on his own. "They can't get them off – have to have surgery." Sam looked up in surprise at that. She hadn't heard that and had been wondering why he was still wearing them.

"So, what happened?"

"The Colonel and I managed to escape and steal a spacecraft but couldn't make it off the planet before the 'alien' who wanted to buy our 'child' arrived. He'd planned to come and steal us and the other 'breeding' women. The rest of our team – you know Daniel and Teal'c? – had pretended to be soldiers with this alien's army and arrived with him. Anyway, we fought our way out together, saved the other women who had been kidnapped and made it home."

"And that's all?" Pete said sarcastically. "Just a little jaunt – get kidnapped, taken to another planet, fight aliens, return home and everything's just hunky dorey?"

"Yeah, that's it Pete." Jack knew how hard this was on Sam and was ready to go after Pete if he got out of hand. Sam looked at him and tried to tell him it was okay, she could handle this.

"No Pete – it was hard, very hard. You know I can't give you all the details, that's just a short sketch. But we did make it home in one piece and we did save the other women. But it's been very hard on all of us. That's why I needed some space. I really was going to call you today to talk but you beat me to it."

"Okay Sam, I understand, really I do. But what I don't get is what Colonel O'Neill was doing here with his clothes off. And you didn't spill anything on your shirt Colonel. I'm not an idiot!" Sam looked in surprise at Jack. What had he told Pete? He looked at her and shrugged, hoping to convey to her that he had tried.

She turned back to Pete. "He was here because I just had a row with my father and I was upset. He brought me home and insisted that I sleep. I was so tired that he helped me get in bed. I then asked him to stay with me. He took his shirt off and got in bed with me and we slept – no more than that."

"You wanted him to stay? Why Sam? Why would you ask your commanding officer to sleep with you?" When she went to say something he interrupted. "No, I know you just meant 'sleep', I'm not implying anything here but there is something going on and I don't understand it. I thought you loved me and yet you didn't want to see me – but you asked your CO to sleep with you. What the heck is going on Sam?" He sounded, not angry, but incredibly hurt. Knowing she was going to hurt him even more she sighed but then looked him straight in the eye.

"I'm pregnant Pete."

"Pregnant?" A strange light came into his eyes. Was it his?" He looked at her and knew instantly. "Who is the father?"

"I am", the Colonel spoke softly.

"But I thought you said you resisted?" Pete looked back and forth between the two Air Force officers. He couldn't understand what was going on.

"He did Pete. He resisted the torture and the pressure and the drugs. That's not why I'm pregnant. He didn't force me and we didn't make love because we were told to. Pete, I'm sorry. I've known for a long time that I had feelings for Colonel O'Neill, but they weren't allowed. So I decided that I needed a real life, I needed to be with someone I _could_ love. When I met you I knew you were a good person, you were someone I could be happy with. I really meant to love you and hoped to spend my life with you. If this hadn't happened, who knows, but it did. It made both Jack and me realize how much we loved each other, how much we needed each other. We came together out of need, and longing and love. Pete, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, to betray you. If it hadn't been for the situation we were in we never would have done this. The fact is that the Colonel and I are together and plan to stay that way. We love each other and are going to have a family." She stopped, tears streaking down her face. She knew that she had hurt him horribly and felt like she'd just crushed something infinitely precious.

She felt a warm hand clasp hers and looked to see Jack kneeling on the floor beside her. He too looked distressed – he, more than anyone – knew what the other man was feeling. Now that he felt relieved that Sam wasn't going to let him go, he had it in his heart to feel compassion for the other man. He also knew how hard this was on her.

Gratefully, she pressed his hand in return. She wouldn't do any more, not now, not with Pete still there, but the close presence of the man she loved meant everything to her.

Pete stood up slowly; feeling like his heart had been torn from his chest. He was too numb right now to know what to do or say. He knew the anguish and the hurt and the anger would come. Right now he just had to get away. He couldn't bear to see or feel the love that existed between these two. No matter how kind or compassionate they tried to be, he was now the outsider.

He turned and walked towards the door. He only stopped once and turned around to look at the most amazing woman he'd ever met. He knew he would never find someone to truly replace what he'd just lost.

"I'm sorry Sam," he whispered. She looked puzzled at this.

"Sorry for what Pete? You didn't do anything, it was me."

"No, I mean I'm sorry I couldn't be enough for you, enough for you to love. I hope you have a good life." With that he turned and was gone. The two people left in the room sat silently, not moving.

Suddenly, a soft sound, a small cry, broke the stillness. Jack stood up and pulled Sam up and into his arms. Moving to the couch he sat down with her on his lap and held her for a long time as she sobbed into his chest. He looked up briefly and thanked the God he wasn't quite sure existed that it was not he who had left this place with his heart in shreds. Holding Sam even closer he breathed in her scent and felt her warm soft body and knew he had been blessed.


	36. Meant To Be

_**This is it folks!**_

Sam had gone to take a shower and clean up. She was still feeling pretty raw from the meeting with Pete and so he had decided to stay awhile. While she was showering he called Hammond and explained the situation to him. He was given permission to stay, at least until Carter felt better.

He decided to fix them both something to eat. Checking her fridge he discovered that her kitchen was almost as bare as his own. They would have to do something about that he figured. With a child on the way they'd both have to do a better job of eating healthy food.

He finally decided that he could put together an omelette and some toast. Just as he was beating the eggs he heard a knock on the front door.

"For cryin' out loud!" he slammed the bowl down and, wiping his hands on a tea towel, headed for the front door. "I am _so_ gonna find an obscure little planet somewhere!"

He forcefully opened the door, only to see Jacob Carter standing there. He could feel his shoulders tense. They really didn't need this right now.

Standing in the doorway, not moving to let Jacob enter, Jack spoke. "What do you want Jacob?"

"I came to see Samantha – my _daughter_ Jack. Could you please move?" Jacob asked belligerently.

"No Jacob, I don't think so. This has been a tough day for Sam and she doesn't need you railing at her anymore."

"Look, I haven't come to give her a hard time – I just want to talk to her if it's okay with you?" he said sarcastically.

Jack was in no mood to engage in a battle of wills with the erstwhile General. He was tired and stressed from the day too. "Look General, Sam is really tired and depressed. She really doesn't need this right now."

"Depressed? Why is she depressed", he asked, as if it was somehow Jack's fault. Yeah right, thought O'Neill. I'm now going to be responsible for anything bad that happens. Welcome to the world of 'in-laws'.

"Pete came by."

"Pete?" Jacob looked confused.

"Yeah, you know – the guy Sam was dating?"

"Oh. So why did that make her depressed. I thought she was happy with you?" More sarcasm! Jack was really feeling the need to hit the Tokra in front of him. Not a good plan O'Neill! Sam would be pissed.

"She is Jacob, but she had to tell him we were together and break up with him. I think she felt a little bit bad for – oh, I don't know, breaking the man's heart or something. I think that would make anyone feel a bit depressed, don't you? And all that was on top of her father being an ass so, yeah, I think you'd better come back some other time. Sam needs love and compassion right now, not the narrow minded judgment of a stick up the rear Tokra!" There, eat that General Carter!

Jacob just looked at him for a moment, no expression on his face. Jack figured he and the snake were probably having a conversation about the idiot who was in love with Samantha.

"I deserved that Jack. Look, I'm sorry for the things I said. I overreacted and I was a jerk. I wanted to come by and apologize to Sam. I don't want to lose her – or my grandchild. I already lost my son and his kids for too many years and I don't want that to happen with my daughter. So please, can you let me in? I feel like an ass standing here."

Jack finally moved back and let the older man enter. He still wasn't quite sure what to believe but it really wasn't up to him. This was Sam's father and he knew she loved the man – even if he had been a jerk.

"Okay. Just don't do anything to upset her. She's feeling pretty fragile." He turned and headed back to the kitchen. "I'm making an omelet. Do you want some?"

"Uh yeah, that'd be good." Jacob followed O'Neill into the kitchen. Looking at the career officer in front of him he had to acknowledge that the man did take good care of his daughter. He was still having trouble dealing with the whole thing but a long talk with George had helped. He couldn't help but admire the man in front of him for his courage and loyalty. He just wasn't sure that he wanted him for a son-in-law.

"So, you and Sammy, eh?" he sat at the counter and watched Jack work.

"Yeah." Jack really didn't feel like getting into a discussion right now.

"So, you really love her do you?" Jack didn't answer – he'd already told Jacob that.

"When did you realize it?"

Jack sighed and turned around to face Jacob. "A long time ago Jacob, we just couldn't do anything about it. We never did, you know. If it hadn't been for this last mission we probably never would have."

"Why not?"

"Cause I didn't want to screw up Carter's career. She's too valuable to the program, heck, to the world."

"What about yours?"

"Mine? Hell, I would have retired in a minute if I thought there was a chance but I couldn't put that burden on Sam. And, at least we were able to work together. Look Jacob, I can't promise everything will be wonderful. You know that life just doesn't work that way. But I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to see that she doesn't regret this. I will spend the rest of my life trying to make her happy. Hell, you know I'd die for her, don't you?"

"Yes Jack, I have no doubt you would. The question is, will you live for her?"

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?"

"Jack, you have a lot of blackness in your past – a lot of things most people couldn't live with. I'm afraid that one day those things will come up and bite you in the ass. What kind of a man, or a husband or a father will you be then? I just want to know if you're willing to face up to all that before you decide to take on a whole new life with my daughter? Don't think I don't like you O'Neill – I do and I have a lot of respect for you – I just don't want to see either of you hurt because you haven't dealt with things in your past."

Jack stopped, knowing that what Jacob had said was true. What would happen if he did retire and no longer had the excitement and adrenaline of the day to day fight to keep him going? Would he end up a basket case, a burden on Sam? No, he wouldn't let that happen. With a new resolve he knew it was time to begin to deal with some of the wounds from his past.

Turning to Jacob he spoke softly. "You know I'll do anything – and everything – to make sure this works. If I have to 'deal' with my past I will. Don't worry Jacob, I won't let anything screw this up."

With that Jacob had to be satisfied. A few more minutes and they could hear Sam leave the bathroom and head to her room. With a murmured apology, Jack followed her.

"Your Dad is here Sam", he said as soon as he'd walked in. She was standing naked in the middle of the room. He couldn't help but grin – God, she looked good!

"Oh no! I don't think I can handle him right now Jack. Please, just tell him I've gone back to bed." Sam looked on the verge of tears. He walked over and hugged her.

"It'll be okay. He's not going to say anything. I think he's come here to apologize. George spoke to him. In fact, I expect that Hammond gave him a severe ass-kicking. He doesn't want to lose you sweetheart. He loves you."

"How did he treat you?" she asked. He was touched that that was a concern to her.

"Just fine. He loves you and worries about you and we share that so we have a good base to start with. Come on, get dressed and everything will be fine."

And it was. Sam and her father spoke and ended up hugging. Tears were shed on both sides and then the Carters tag-teamed an uproarious evening of teasing Jack; at least uproarious as far as they were concerned. Jack was ready to head back to the SGC!

"George wanted me to tell you that when you get back you're to go see Janet so she can check you out. We're off in the morning to visit Mark and we'll be back in a week, unless you need Sam sooner."

"Okay. I guess I'd better be going." He stood up and headed to the door. "I'll see you in a week Jacob and thanks!" The two men nodded to each other. It would take awhile before Jacob would be truly happy with what had happened but he was willing to try.

Sam followed him to the door. "I'm going to miss you so much!" she sounded teary. "I don't like the thought of being so far away."

"It'll be okay, don't worry. You're a quick plane ride away if I need you." He reached down and, ignoring her father, gave her a long, slow and very passionate kiss. "You look after yourself and that baby Carter!"

"Is that an order Sir?" she asked, smiling.

"Damn right!" With another kiss he turned and walked out to his truck.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Well, you're amazingly healthy Sir. Much better than before you went on this little adventure."

"Little adventure? Unique way of putting it Doc." He jumped down from the examining table, relishing the fact that his knees felt great.

"Jack, I don't know what this whole 'joining' thing does exactly but it seems to have healed all sorts of things. The x-rays show that your joints are as healthy as a 20 year old. Your heart, blood pressure, blood work – all are from someone year's younger. I just we could figure out exactly what those drugs they gave you were. I'd love to have some samples."

"Yeah – but look what else they did. I don't know if you'd want a whole bunch of people addicted to one another."

"But maybe that's gone. Maybe you are cured."

"Yeah, possibly. We'll find out soon enough."

"Jack, it's important you tell me the moment you feel 'off'. We can't wait too long to get Sam back here. We don't know how that would affect you, or her." He whipped his head up at that.

"What do you mean 'her'"? I thought this just affected me."

"Well, so far that's what we think. I don't know though. There was that nausea and weakness she felt. It could be that it was related."

"But I thought that was morning sickness?"

"Maybe it was – is. It started awfully soon however. Look Sir, I really don't know. I just want to be careful and I know you; you'll end up not saying anything until it's almost too late."

This time he looked at her seriously. "Don't worry Doc. I have too much to lose now. I'll tell you, I promise." With a smile and a wave he headed out of the Infirmary. After he'd left he stopped and thought a minute. With a decisive look on his face he turned and headed the opposite way than he had originally intended. He stopped in front of an office door and stopped. Closing his eyes he took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in.," the voice from inside instructed. He took the handle, turned it and walked in.

The person sitting at his desk looked up in surprise. "What can I do for you Colonel O'Neill", Dr. Mackenzie asked.

"I think maybe you can help me." With that, he closed the door and sat down.

He, Daniel and Teal'c were all sitting in the Commissary, eating lunch and laughing over the recent escapades of Sergeant Siler. Things had been good, so far. The General was keeping him apprised of the investigation into his and Carter's alleged 'regulation violation'. No surprise to anyone the vultures were circling. The General had assured him that he had support at the highest levels. That was good but he knew it really came down to whether or not the powers that be – at least the ones in charge of administering justice – believed that what they had done was because they were forced into it.

His main worry was that most of the people who would be making that decision had no idea what they faced when they went through that gate. It was a totally different world, no pun intended, and it was often difficult to apply the same rules and regulations.

Oh well, he decided, there was really nothing he could do about it. He picked up his fork to take another bite of meatloaf when he saw his hand tremble. Frowning, he put his fork down. He felt okay – maybe it had simply been a pinched nerve or something. He and Teal'c had just had a sparring match so maybe he'd done something to himself. He picked up the fork again and took a few more bites. Everything was fine until he went to take a drink. This time his hand trembled so much that he spilled the juice in his glass.

"Something wrong Jack?" Daniel asked, with a worried look.

"I don't think so. I think I may have done something in my little match with Teal'c."

"Did I hurt you O'Neill?"

"Uh, I don't think so buddy. I may have gone a little too hard as all. I'm probably just tired. I think I'll go to my room for a while."

Daniel and Teal'c both looked worriedly after him as he left.

"Do you think he is all right Daniel Jackson?"

"I don't know Teal'c. I think we'll have to go and visit him in a little while and see."

Jack got to his room and lay down on the bed. It was only as he began to feel chilly that he admitted to himself that it was coming back. Okay – so he and Sam were well and truly linked. He didn't know whether to feel sad or overjoyed.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Dad, is something wrong with Sam?" His daughter-in-law Karen asked him. They'd been in San Diego for three days and they'd been having a lovely visit. Sam had been quite happy, if a little quiet. When he'd asked if something was wrong she'd said no, she was just tired. He knew it wasn't unusual, especially in a first pregnancy. Still, he kept his eye on her.

By day three he too had noticed that she seemed to be increasingly listless and the morning sickness had increased. Karen and Mark had started asking questions. They hadn't been told about the pregnancy yet.

"I think I'd better let Sammie answer that." He said, knowing it was up to her to tell Mark and Karen. Just at that moment she walked in, looking terribly pale.

"Sam, you'd better sit down." Karen came over and pulled out a chair. "Can I get you anything?"

"No. Okay, maybe a glass of water."

"You've barely eaten anything Sam. Is something wrong?" Just then Mark came in, having heard the last of the conversation. He too was worried about his sister.

She looked at her family, all with concerned faces, and knew she had to tell them. She just wished Jack were here. He would make this all so much easier.

"I should have told you guys right away", she started. "I just wanted a few days of not thinking about anything, but it's not fair to you." She stopped and took a drink of water. "You don't need to worry, I'm not sick. I'm pregnant." Okay, the silence was intense. Sam wondered where the pennies were because now was just the time to drop one!

"Pregnant?" Mark said, surprise in his voice. "You mean you and Pete -?"

Oh God, she hadn't even told them about breaking up with Pete. She had completely forgotten that he and Mark were friends.

"Uh no. Pete and I aren't together anymore. No, the father is –" she paused, and looked at her father in panic. He was no help, simply raising his eyebrow. Evil, evil man. "The father is Jack O'Neill." There, she'd said it.

"Jack O'Neill? But isn't that your commanding officer?" Karen asked, puzzled. It was Mark who suddenly realized. Looking up, anger on his face he practically spit the words out.

"It is! He's your CO. For God's sake Sam, did he take advantage of you?" He turned and looked at his father. "Has he been charged?" Mark's voice sounded hopeful.

"No Mark! He didn't take advantage of me. It was mutual. We're together – we love each other."

Mark was an Air Force brat and understood the implications of what Sam was saying. "What do you mean 'mutual'? You can't do that Sam, not while serving under him." He laughed sarcastically, realizing what his words implied.

"I know Mark – and we didn't do anything for years. We've loved each other for a long time and yet never did anything about it. It's just – there are extenuating circumstances."

"Exten- what kind of 'circumstances'?"

Seeing that his daughter was increasingly upset Jacob figured it was time he stepped in.

"Look Mark, you know that a lot of what Sam does is classified, right?" his son nodded. "Well, she and Colonel O'Neill were on a recent mission and were captured. They were held for quite a few weeks and in that time were forced to – uh – have relations."

"Forced?" Mark looked skeptical. What kind of crap was this?

"Yes – forced! They were taken by white slavers who were trying to breed children to sell. Surely you know there's a market for healthy infants?" He was stretching the truth a bit but the story had some truth in it. "Well, they wanted to keep Jack and Sam in order to produce children for the black market. They were threatened with torture and death if they didn't comply."

Mark turned swiftly and looked at his sister. "Oh my God Sam, are you okay?"

Touched at his concern she nodded. "They didn't hurt me Mark. They were pretty rough on the Colonel but they wanted me healthy. They just kept me locked up."

"So, you had to" he gestured, "in order to stay alive?"

"Yes, pretty much. It wasn't until we returned that I found out I was pregnant."

"But what's going to happen?" It was Karen who spoke this time. Both she and her husband were pretty stunned.

"Well, we're waiting to see what the Air Force does but Jack and I have decided we're going to stay together. This made us realize how much we loved each other and, since the horse is out of the barn, so to speak, we've decided to go for it."

Her brother and sister-in-law looked at her seriously for a minute. It was Karen who finally broke. With a big grin she stood up and walked over to Sam. Bending down, she gave her a big hug. "Congratulations Sam. I'm happy for you, even if it was an unorthodox way of getting around the rules." Her sister-in-law had a knowing look in her eyes. She thinks we did it intentionally, Sam realized. Oh well, she wasn't far off the mark.

Her brother was the next one to come over and give her a hug. "I'm happy for you Sammie. Just make sure you bring Jack for a visit. I want to check him out." Oh joy, he'd probably be worse than Dad. "The kids will be thrilled to finally have a cousin."

With a laugh they all began chatting. Jacob looked over at Sam and realized she was both relieved and happy, although she still looked pale. He hoped it was just the pregnancy.

Later that afternoon Sam heard her brother's voice calling. "Sam, a call for you. She says her name is Janet Frasier."

Crap, she thought. She hoped this didn't mean what she thought it did.

"Hello Janet. How are things going?"

"You'll have to come home Sam. The Colonel is getting sick again."

"Damn, I'd hoped this was over."

"I know, but it doesn't look like it is. The General is arranging transport right away. Walter will call in a couple of minutes and give you the details but get home as soon as you can okay."

"Is he bad?"

"No, not yet, but I don't want to wait too long."

"Okay, I'll see you soon Janet."

She looked up to see her father looking at her. "So, it didn't work."

"No."

"You realize what this means don't you?"

"Yeah, Jack and I will be spending the rest of our lives together – real close together."

"Does that bother you?"

She stopped for a moment, giving it serious thought. Rather than the thought being depressing it sent a spiral of warmth through her. It felt – _right_. Somehow, in that moment, she knew that she too had been affected by the Kopra and Roshu. She craved him – physically, emotionally even mentally (she laughed to herself). No, the two of them were now a pair, in every way. Looking up at her father she smiled.

"No, it makes me happy." He grinned in return.

"Then let's get you home!"

A car was waiting at the air force base when she returned and it whisked her to the Mountain. She hurried down to the Infirmary, followed by her father, knowing that that's where Janet would be keeping him. When she walked in she could hear his voice as he complained about something. Grinning, she knew she was home!

She walked into the room and saw Jack covered by heaps of blankets and hot water bottles. Teal'c and Daniel were standing by his bed, trying to keep him from getting frustrated, clearly with little affect. It was Teal'c who first spotted her and she almost laughed at his expression of relief.

"Here is Major Carter, O'Neill. Maybe now you will feel better." Jack whipped his head around and, when he saw Sam a huge smile appeared on his face. Yes, all was now right with his world.

"Any room in there for me flyboy?" she asked, smiling in return. He quickly pulled the blankets back and patted the bed.

"Yup! Just enough room for one blond, blue eyed, gorgeous Major." Sam quickly shed her coat and climbed up beside him. Throwing her arms around him the two cuddled up to each other. Both of them began to feel instantly better, although they knew it would take more than just cuddling to truly feel well.

Their friends, along with Janet and Jacob, all watched for a moment. Then, with a shared look they all retreated from the room. Janet closed the door behind them and instructed her staff that the occupants were not to be disturbed. Smiling, they all headed for coffee and something to eat.

**Epilogue**

In the end the Air Force decided not to lay charges against either officer. It was clear, from O'Neill's medical reports, that they had no choice but to 'fraternize'. It was simply a matter of life and death.

Their friends teased them unmercifully about it, claiming they had gone to extreme measures to get what they'd wanted all along.

They didn't know yet what was going to happen to their Air Force careers. Sam was pretty much grounded anyway, with the pregnancy, although the doc said going through the gate shouldn't hurt anything. For now they were both working on base. There was some discussion that they might both end up working at the Academy but for now things were left as is.

The main problem was the danger of separating them. It had turned out that Sam _was_ affected, although not nearly so seriously as Jack. They knew they had to stay pretty close although it appeared they were good for a few days at a time. Janet had synthesized some of the medicine she'd given Jack and he carried it just to be sure. It wasn't a cure but did seem to help.

The fact was that neither of them cared that much. They were gloriously, wonderfully, perfectly content. Their love was enhanced by whatever the chemicals, or joining had done. Together they were strong, healthy and very happy. They both continued to work and each had their own pursuits but at the end of the day they came together. Their destinies were intertwined and they wouldn't have it any other way.

It was a few months later that they were invited back to the planet that had started it all. One of the SG teams had checked in on the women and brought back the invitation. They were all anxious to see Martia and the other women and witness, for themselves, how things were going. The reports were that the women had been welcomed back with great joy and the community was working hard to rebuild trust and love.

Kitted out in their usual BDU's (although Sam's had had to be modified to fit her growing girth), SG1, along with the team of women who had disguised themselves as men (that brought quite a laugh to O'Neill who did some teasing of his own) and Major Griff, made their way to P8V 359.

When they arrived all seemed quiet so they headed towards the village. As they grew closer they could see some of the men in the fields, just as they had on their first visit. This time, however, they could also see what looked like children running around playing. As they grew nearer they heard a shout and soon Amdahl was approaching, someone in his arms.

"Welcome friends. It is good to see you!" They could now see that he was carrying one of his daughters. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and was giggling into his hair.

"Amdahl! Great to see you too. How are things going?" Griff asked.

"They are going well Major Griff. Sooka, stop pulling my hair and say hello to our guests." The assembled 'guests' were pleased to hear the affection in his voice.

"Hello", a soft voice floated over to them. "You are Samantha and Jack", she looked at the two she remembered from the terrifying time in that other place.

"Yes, we are. We are glad to see you Sooka. How are your mother and sister?"

"They are well", she wiggled until her father put her down. She immediately ran over to Jack and pulled on his leg until he squatted down to listen to her. She leaned up and whispered in his ear. "My Mama is going to have another baby but it's a secret. Daddy is really happy but my sister doesn't know yet. She might be sad because she won't be the baby any more – and it might be a boy!" This was said with the usual disdain little girls had for little boys!

Smiling, Jack hugged the little girl and whispered back. "I'm so happy for you. You're a great big sister. The new baby will be very lucky."

Sooka was looking over at Sam. This time, in a loud voice, she announced, "Sam is going to have a baby too!"

"Yes, she is."

"Is it your baby Jack?" the little girl asked. Nothing quite like the honest curiosity of children.

"Yes, it's my baby."

"Good, you'll be a great Daddy. My Mama said you two were" she frowned, trying to remember what her mother had said. "meant to be together". She looked up and smiled.

Jack looked over at his wife and smiled – a secret but very knowing smile. "Yes Sooka, we were meant to be together."

**The End**

_Thank you to all of you who came on this latest journey with me. Your comments, reviews and kind notes made it so much fun and inspired me to keep going. I loved hearing from all of you._

_Thank you again! January 2011_


End file.
